PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


BS  1430  .P75  1860 

Power,  Philip  Bennett,  1822 

J.  o  -7  y , 
"I  will" 


Shet. 


44 


I    WILL:" 


BEING   THE 


IftoranEtums  of  %  "glan  of  ioli,  n  fottni  in  sorae 

of  %  "I  mar  of  %  issks. 


EEV.  PHILIP  BENNETT  POWEE,  M.A., 

Incumbent  of  Christ  C^urdj,  Moriljing. 


AUTHOR   OF    "breathings   OP   THE   SODL}"     "FAILURE    AND   DISCIPLINE;" 
"sacred   ALLEGORIES,"    ETC. 


^aonb  €i>ilion. 


LONDON : 
WERTHEIM,    MACINTOSH,    AISTD    HUNT; 

WORTHING:  ALL  BOOKSELLERS; 

BRIGHTON  :     TREACHER,   NORTH   STREET  ;    WHITE,   WESTERN    ROAD,  ' 

1860. 


frintcb    bg    losxalj    gltic^tx. 


THE  REV.  EDWAED  KING  ELLIOTT,  M.A., 

RECTOR  OF   BROADWATER,    SUSSEX, 

[by  whom 

the  district  parish  of  christ  church,  worthing, 

was  formed  and  endowed,] 

t;^is    doinmz   is   ^zhicntth, 


AFFECTIONATE    REMEMBRANCE 

OF   UNION    IN   SENTIMENT   AND   MINISTRY, 

BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


PEEEACE. 


It  was  the  original  design  of  the  Author  of 
this  volume  to  have  sent  forth  into  the  world 
a  little  book,  containing  a  few  thoughts  with 
respect  to  each  of  the  subjects  which  are  to  be 
found  in  the  following  pages.  Hence  the  first 
subject  treated  upon,  viz..  Trust,  although 
of  equal  importance  with  the  rest,  is  not 
considered  at  such  length;  the  style  of  its 
treatment  also  differs  somewhat  from  that 
of  the  others.  Almost  unconsciously  to  the 
writer,  the  little  book  began  to  grow  and 
develop  into  a  large  one;  and  all  that  he 
can  now  do,  is,  to  hope  that  its  increased 
size  may  make  it  of  increased  worth. 


VI  PREFACE. 


Several  illustrations  have  been  added  to 
those  given  in  the  first  edition,  especially  in 
the  chapter  on  Prayer.  In  many  of  the 
matters  mentioned  in  these  illustrations,  the 
Author  has  been  personally  concerned,  but 
he  has  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  specify  such 
cases  particularly. 

The  reader  will  observe  that  the  same  per- 
sons and  facts  are  frequently  referred  to  in 
different  portions  of  the  volume;  this  does 
not,  however,  involve  any  real  tautology,  for 
such  is  the  fulness  of  Holy  Writ,  and  such  is 
the  variety  of  application  of  which  each  portion 
of  it  is  susceptible,  that,  in  point  of  fact,  a 
few  incidents  and  a  few  characters  answer 
all  our  need.  When  we  consider  how  very 
few  are  the  leading  characters  which  are 
brought  before  our  notice  in  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, it  seems  as  though  God  designed 
to  teach  us  by  the  few  and  not  by  many, 
in  order  that  we,  as  individuals,  might 
be  taught  or  warned  by  the  individual, 
and  not   by  a  class.      Hence   in  part  tie 


PREFACE.  Vn 

exceeding  preciousness  of  the  individuality 
of  Jesus. 

The  reader,  who  is  familiar  with  the  hook 
of  Psalms,  will  also  observe  that  many  "I 
wills  "  are  omitted  in  this  volume ;  amongst 
these  are  some  which  group  together  under 
different  heads,  such  as  the  ''  I  wills "  of 
CoNPEssioN  and  Htjmiliation,  of  Worship, 
of  Joy  and  Eejoicing,  of  the  Mind  and 
Heaet,  and  of  Obedience,  together  with 
many  which  do  not  range  themselves  in  any 
distinct  order;  these  the  writer  preferred 
leaving  untouched,  rather  than  saying  but  a 
few  words  upon  them. 

The  following  pages  are  designed  rather  to 
suggest  than  to  teach,  to  whisper  than  to 
speak.  Yet  all  their  whisperings  are  of  im- 
portance, for  their  subjects  are  from  the  word 
of  God ;  may  they  admonish  and  encourage, 
may  they  remind  and  direct,  may  they  help 
and  confirm  the  people  of  the  Lord  according 
to  their  respective  needs;  may  they  shew 
them  where  they  have  failed  to  determine, 


Vlll  PREFACE. 


and  where  their  determinations  have  come 
short ;  and,  from  time  to  time,  reminded  by 
these  pages  of  these  things,  may  they  go  on 
unto  perfection,  nntil  the  fulfilled  determina- 
tions of  time,  (accepted  in  the  blood  of 
Christ,)  bring  to  them  the  fruition  of  glory 
in  eternity. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE   "I  will"   of  trust. 

The  unreservedness  of  Trust— Trust  despite  appearances — Luther 
at  Worms — Helps  to  unreservedness  of  Trust — Unreservedness 
in  the  Apostle  Paul — The  shipwrecked  sailor — Trust  though 
all  be  unknown — Helps  to  procuring  this  Trust.  Trust  in 
God,  even  though  the  usual  human  instrumentality  of  help 
may  he  at  hand — Helps  to  obtaining  this  Trust.  Unreserved 
Trust  in  the  union  of  cause  and  effect — The  child's  umbrella — 
Helps  to  obtaining  this  Trust — God  the  great  object  of  Trust 
— The  Psalmist's  trust  in  God  in  all  developments  of  Himself 
— God  the  Ruler  of  the  people — God  in  the  still  chamber — 
Ridley's  sleep — The  sleepless  minister— Elijah's  flight — The 
shadow  of  God's  wings — Helps  to  Trust  under  this  shadow — 
God  the  Fortress — Alliance  between  God  and  man — The 
Believer  not  alone — The  strawberry  plant — Mungo  Park's 
moss — God  in  decisive  action — Whitelock  taught  by  his  ser- 
vant— Co-operation  between  God  and  man — Practical  thoughts 
resulting  from  this  co-operation — Luther  and  Melancthon. 
Circumstances  under  which  Trust  is  to  be  exercised— Times  of 
danger  from  man— The  hook  in  the  nose— Times  of  helplessness 
— The  helplessness  of  Jacob — The  time  of  natural  fear — The 


CONTENTS. 

action  of  Trust  in  the  time  of  fear — Instances  in  the  martyrs. 
Bishop  Farrar,  Dr.  Taylor,  Bishop  Hooper,  Thomas  Hawkes 
— Hard  struggle  in  the  case  of  Rawlins  White  and  George 
Tankerfield — How  to  endure  pain — Howe's  fear  of  pain — Sir 
Robert  Peel's  fear  of  pain Pages  1—63 


CHAPTER  II. 

Pini^lrg  anJr  f^stimonj. 

THE   "I  will"   of  ministry  AND  TESTIMONY, 

The  duty  of  Ministry  and  Testimony  not  fully  recognised  in  the 
present  day — The  loss  which  God's  people  suffer  from  non- 
recognition — The  ministry  of  Mary  in  breaking  the  alabaster 
box — Loss  of  the  leflex  benefit  of  action  for  God — Duke  Eric 
of  Brunswick — The  positions  in  which  Ministry  is  to  be 
carried  on — Teeva's  prayer — Ministry  in  the  family — The 
mother's  hand — The  Church  of  Christ  a  sufferer  by  lack  of 
Ministry — A  great  result  from  a  small  act  of  Ministry — The 
preacher's  ministry  to  one  man — The  German  Colporteur — The 
Sunday  School  child — Melancholy  picture  of  the  Church  as 
regards  Ministry.  The  world  a  loser  by  lack  of  Ministry  and 
Testimony — The  crowing  missionary — Deathbed  witness  of 
one  who  died  in  despair    ,   Pages  64 — 91 


CHAPTER  IIL 

THE   "I   will"   of   converse. 

Low  converse  of  the  world;  and  often  of  God's  people — Evil 
of  laboured  religious  conversation — Visiting — The  world's 
ideas  of  ministerial  visits — Hervey's  experience — Converse  in 
domestic  relationship — The  blessed  effects  of  holy  converse 

Pases  92—99 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   ''I   will"    of   converse. 

Continued. 

Holy  converse  must  come  from  a  holy  heart— Subjects  of  the 
Christian's  converse — This  converse  not  upon  vague  generalities 
— Blessed  results     Pages  100 — 105 

CHAPTER  V. 


THE   "I   WILL"   OF  TEACHING. 


God  a  Teacher — The  dignity  of  the  Teacher's  office — Teaching 
out  of  personal  experience — Dark  experiences  capable  of  sup- 
pljdng  useful  teaching — Instances  of  this — Blessed  experiences 
to  be  turned  to  account  in  teaching     Pages  106—112 


CHAPTER   VI. 

THE   "I  will"   of  teaching. 

Continued. 

Painstaking  should  be  found  in  all  teaching  for  God — Endurance 
in  Teaching — The  endurance  of  Christ — Endurance  and  Talent 
— Great  encouragement  to  this — Milne  the  missionary — Con- 
descension in  Teaching — Jesus  an  example  of  Condescension 
— Elliott  the  missionary  to  the  Indians — Patience  in  Teaching 
— Wesley's  mother — The  necessity  of  not  over-drivino-  in 
religious  knowledge — The  necessity  of  doing  God's  work  fully — 
Rowland  Hill — Whitfield -Faithful  before  the  jury  at  Vanity 
Fair — Christ's  ministry  to  sinners — The  unreasonableness  of 
expecting  all  smooth  work   Pages  113 — 126 


^1  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Little  known  or  heard  of  tlie  mighty  powers  "Prayer"  and 
"Faith" — Scripture  statements  of  the  power  of  Prayer — How 
man  comes  to  pray  at  all — Children's  prayers — Impediments  to 
Prayer — Natural  Inaptitude — The  difficulty  to  some  of  putting 
thoughts  into  words — The  Chippewa  Indian — Inherent  Un- 
belief— The  natm-al  tendency  to  do  the  most  for  om-selves, 
independently  of  God — The  natm-al  tendency  to  keep  from 
alone  and  immediate  connection  with  God — Letters  to  be 
spread  before  the  Lord — Backwardness  from  known  and  felt 
imperfection  in  Prayer — Man  to  go  to  God  just  as  he  is 

Pages  127—144 

CHAPTER  VIIL 

THE   OBJECT   OF   THE   "I    WILL"  IN   PRAYER. 

God  the  great  object  of  Pra^yer  in  the  troublous  time — The 
impotence  of  human  sympathy — The  sympathy  of  silence — 
Value  of  a  personal  definite  view  of  God — The  heart's  desire 
that  God  would  speak — Rutherford's  remark  on  the  Syro- 
phenician  woman — The  silence  of  God — The  desire  for  assurance 
of  being  heard — The  great  value  of  mental  realization  in 
prayer — Bodily  acts  in  prayer — The  desire  that  God  would 
speak  to  us — The  sustaining  influence  of  the  consciousness  of 
being  heard — The  heart's  dependence  on  God — The  heart's 
hopelessness  apart  from  God — Spiritual  acquisition  sometimes 
quickly  made Pages  145—162 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  "I  WILL"  OF  PRATER  IN  THE  TIME  OF  TROUBLE. 

Prayer  made  in  time  of  trouble  by  Christ — The  Psalmist's  position 
of  distinctiveness — Malice  not  to  be  disarmed  by  compromise — 
Polycarp — The  isolated  position— The  sympathy  of  Christ  in 
man's  isolation — Luther  before  the  council — His  prayer — The 


CONTENTS.  Xm 

recognition  of  God  as  a  Friend  in  trouble — The  closeness  of 
suffering  must  not  be  allowed  to  obscure  the  vision  of  God — 
The  discovered  hollowness  of  human  friendship  not  to  be 
allowed  to  throw  a  shadow  on  the  divine.  Continuous  prayer 
under  continual  pressure — Wearing  out  temptations — Robert 
Glover — St.  Augustine — Parent's  prayers — Dr.  Leland's  testi- 
mony about  them — The  child  prayed  home — The  door  kept  on 
the  latch — The  wonder  of  prayer  being  heard    Pages  163 — 195 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE  "I  will"  of  prayer  IN  THE  TIME  OF  TROUBLE. 
Continued. 
Various  kinds  of  troubles — Overwhelming  troubles — Cryings  from 
the  ends  of  the  earth — Overwhelmings  of  heart — Loss  of 
natural  power  of  resistance — The  overwhelmings  of  Christ — 
Visions  of  sin — Doubts  of  divine  love — Remarkable  case  of 
long  sorrow  and  sudden  deliverance — The  sense  of  weakness — 
Temporal  overwhelmings — Recognition  of  a  place  of  safety — 
The  place  of  safety  sudicicnt,  when  personal  weakness  has 
been  realized — Christ  as  the  Rock — The  helping  hand 

Pages  196—216 

CHAPTER  XI. 

TBE   "I  AVILL"   of   prayer   IN   THE   TIME   OF   TROUBLE. 
Concluded. 

Prayer  an  unfailing  resource — Dark  valleys — Looking  to  the  hills 
— Christ's  upward  lookings — Elevation  above  suiTounding 
circumstances — The  power  of  spiritual  sight  in  prayer — 
Spiritual  sight  to  be  exercised  in  distinct  action — Little 
troubles    Pages  217—228 

CHAPTER   XII. 

THE   "I  W^ILL"   of   continuance   IN   PRAYER. 

Excellence  in  different  departments  of  the  Christian  life — 
Continuance  in  prayer  as  a  habit — St.  Augustine's  wish — The 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

servant  who  continued  always  in  prayer — Prayer  in  special 
places — Prayer  in  a  strange  place — Prayer  on  the  chimney 
top — Prayer  in  common  places — Prayer  without  iiressing  need 
— Thoughts  and  interests  which  excite  prayer   Pages  229 — 239 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  "I  will"  of  continuance  IN  PRAYER. 
Continued. 
Realization  of  Privilege  in  Prayer  an  incitement  to  continuance  in 
Prayer— Communion,  higher  intercourse  with  God  than  worship 
— The  common  things  of  daily  life  to  be  committed  to  God  in 
prayer — The  crying  child — The  railway  travellers — The  lost 
paper — The  lost  purse — The  rejected  medicine — Travelling 
expenses — The  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  hahit 
of  the  mind — Results  of  continuance  in  prayer  as  a  habit 

Pages  240—249 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   "I   will"   of   expectation   IN   PRAYER. 

What  it  is  to  expect  in  Prayer — Example  from  JMiiller's  narrative 
of  the  Orphan  Houses  at  Bristol — One  prayer  operating  upon 
several  people — An  answer  by  coincidence — The  Cree  Indian — 
The  servant  girl's  missionary  box — The  Marquis  of  Argyll — 
Ten  minutes'  sleep — Simeon  at  Cambridge — Money  found  to 
buy  a  pair  of  shoes — The  converted  Jew — An  answer  to  prayer 
sent  by  a  singing  bird — Scripture  warrants  for  expectation  in 
prayer — Power  of  sanctified  reasoning  upon  the  character  of 
God — Prayer  for  £10 — The  results  of  Expectation  in  prayer — 
Precision  in  prayer — Greater  readiness  in  prayer — Less  leaning 
on  man — More  cheerfulness  of  heart — The  traveller's  pack — 
The  man  with  eight  children — Energy  in  the  use  of  means — 
Alexander's  answer  to  Perdiccas — Looking  out  for  answers  to 
prayer — AUcine's  advice — The  expecting  Sunday  School 
teacher — Patient  expectation  in  prayer — The  praying  mother 
and  her  nine  children — Mrs.  AVinslow    Pages  250—283 


^  CDNTENTS.  XV 

CHAPTER  XY. 

THE   "I   WILL"    OF   INTENSE   PRAYER.    ' 

Seasons  of  Intense  Prayer — The  time  when  a  few  hours  or 
minutes  must  settle  a  question — Mr.  Clarke  and  Dr.  Prince 
amid  the  savages — The  time  of  sudden  calamity — The  time  of 
realization  of  the  importance  of  the  thing  asked  for — The  time 
of  heavy  pressure  and  failing  resources — Immediate  and  inde- 
pendent operations  of  the  Spirit — The  time  of  failure — The 
time  of  feeling  the  pressure  of  sin — The  time  of  longing  intently 
for  inward  comfort— The  time  of  earnest  desire  for  some 
spiritual  blessing — Purely  spiritual  blessings — Delay,  not  denial 

Pages  284—295 

CHAPTER  XVI. 


gclioii 


The  gross  ignorarice  of  the  people  of  the  world — The  knowledge 
which  the  people  of  God  have  of  their  own  ignorance — Their 
desire  of  being  taught  for  action — The  need  of  being  taught  in 
difficult  circumstances — God's  ways  of  teaching— Guidance 
with  the  eye — Honesty  of  mind  in  action  ....  Pages  296 — 311 

CHAPTER  XYII. 

THE   "I   WILL"    OF  HEARTINESS   IN  ACTION. 

The  want  of  heartiness  in  many  believers — What  heartiness  is — 
A  certain  amount  of  duty  compatible  with  a  want  of  heartiness 
— Heartiness  has  a  good  effect  on  others — Embraces  a  large 
circle — Heartiness   honours    the    Christian's    profession — The 

Hindoos'    portion   for   their  god — The  Rajah  of    Burdwan 

"Giving"  a  part  of  action — The  widow  and  her  two  mites — 
Scripture  examples  of  heartiness — Christ,  Paul,  the  Mace- 
donians, the  Israelites,  David,  &c. — Heartiness  the  work  of  the 
Spirit— Wesley's  reply       Pages  312—333 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE   "  I   V/ILL"    OF  DETERMINATION   IN   ACTION. 

The  trial  of  heartiness — Scripture  examples  of  determination 

Determined  enemies — Instances  of  the  need  of  determination 


XVI  '  ^      CONTENTS. 

Luther's  motto — Going  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God — 
Benefits  of  the  realization  of  external  power — Consequences  of 
this  realization.  Great  eflPorts  will  be  made  ;  appearances  will 
not  retard  action ;  humility  in  guccess — Praise  ascribed  to  God 

Pages  334—346 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Christian's  life  like  a  stream — Causes  of  shortcoming  in 
praise,  viz.,  natural  ingratitude,  the  giddy  and  non-apprehen- 
sive character  of  the  heart;  the  deadness  of  the  moral 
atmosphere — Entail  of  loss  to  the  individual,  the  world,  and 
the  Church — Particulars  for  which  praise  is  due :  "  Personal 
Creation,"  "Daily  powers  of  enjoyment,"  the  process  of 
digestion — The  glory  of  the  song — The  position  occupied  by 
praising  suffering  ones — Praise  for  "bountiful  dealing"  — 
Man's  readiness  to  detract  from  God's  dealings — Particularizing 
in  praise — Apparently  unbountiful  dealings  of  God — Praise 
for  "Help" — The  churching  of  women  often  a  mockery — 
Praise  for  "Loving-kindness" — For  "  Tenderness  in  Action"  — 
For  "  the  Truth  of  God" — For  "  Escape  from  the  triumphing 
of  the  ungodly" — Temporary  triumphs  over  the  people  of  God 
— Praise  for  "  Hearing  Prayer  "  Pages  347— 378 

CHAPTER    XX. 

THE   DIFFERENT   ATTRIBUTES   OF   PRAISE. 

Heartiness  in  praise — The  miserable  nature  of  unhearty  praise — 
Thoughts  conducive  to  heartiness  in  praise — Continuance  in 
praise — The  crippled  widow — Praise  in  affliction — Increase  in 
praise — Different  kinds  of  praise — Manifestation — The  good 
effects  of  manifestation — Extolling — The  nature  of  extolling 

Pages  379—391 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

THE  WILLING  SPIRIT  AND  THE  WEAK  FLESH. 

Christ's  words  over  the  sleeping  disciples — The  willing  Spirit 
looked  at  independently  of  results — The  willing  Spirit,  wherein 
seen Pages  392—395 


CHAPTER    I. 


The  "I  Will"  of  Trust. 

Psalm  iii,  6.  "  For  I  will  not  he  afraid  of  ten  thousands  of 
people^  that  have  set  themselves  against  me  round  about." 

Psalm  iv,  8.  "  I  ivill  both  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep,  for 
thou.  Lord,  only  makest  me  dwell  in  safety." 

Psalm  xxiii,  4.  "  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  ivill  fear  no  evil;  for  thou  art  with  me;  thy 
rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me. " 

Psalm  xliv,  6.  "  For  I  will  not  trust  in  my  bow,  neither  shall 
my  sword  save  me." 

Psalm  Iv,  16.  "^s  for  me  I  will  call  upon  God ;  and  the  Lord 
shall  save  me." 

Psalm  Ivi,  3.     "  What  time  I  am  afraid  I  ivill  trust  in  thee." 

Psalm  Ivii,  1.  ^^  Be  merciful  unto  me,  O  God,  be  merciful  unto 
me  ;  for  my  sold  trusteth  in  thee :  yea,  in  the  shadow  of  thy  wings 
trill  I  make  my  refuge,  until  these  calamities  he  overjjasf 

Psalm  Ixi,  4.  "  I  will  abide  in  thy  tabernacle  for  ever,  I  will 
trust  in  the  covert  of  thy  ivings." 

Psalm  Ixxxvi,  7.  "  In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  ivill  call  upon 
thee,  for  thou  wilt  answer  me." 

Psalm  xci,  2.  "  I  will  say  tmto  the  Lord,  He  is  my  refuge  and 
my  fortress,  my  God,  in  him  ivill  I  trust." 

Psalm  cxviii,  6.  "  The  Lord  is  on  my  side;  I  will  not  fear: 
what  can  man  do  unto  me  ?" 

SO  dull^  so  wavering  are  these  poor  hearts  of  ours  in 
faith_,  that  very  often  we  will  not  trust  God_,  even  in 
circumstances  in  which  we  would  have  fully  trusted  an 


2  TRUST. 

eartlily  parent.  The  dear  cliildren  of  tlie  Lord  are 
continually  detecting  themselves  in  unbelief.  At  one 
moment  they  are  leaning  upon  human  instrumentality_, 
at  another  they  are  wholly  at  their  wits^  end ;  now  they 
are  full  of  terror  at  an  immediate  prospect  of  danger, 
and  now  they  lose  all  rest  in  God ;  all  which  evils 
proceed  from  the  want  of  simple  faitli_,  of  child-like  trust. 
God  loves  trust ;  it  honours  Him ;  he  who  trusts  the 
most  shall  sorrow  least.  If  there  were  continual  trust, 
there  would  be  continual  peace. 

Let  us  first  notice  The  Unreservedness  of  Thust, 
which  we  find  in  the  following  group  of  verses. 

Psalm  iii_,  6.  "  I  ivill  not  be  afraid  of  ten  thousands 
of  ijeople,  that  have  set  themselves  against  me  round 
ahoutr 

Psalm  xxiii,  4.  "  Yea,  though  I  ivalk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil, 
for  Thou  art  with  me;  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they 
comfort  me'' 

Psalm  Iv,  16,  17.  ^'  As  for  me  I  luill  call  upon  God ; 
and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.  Eveynng,  and  morning,  and 
vbt  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud :  and  he  shall  hear 
my  voice" 

Psalm  xliv,  6.  ''  For  I  ivill  not  trust  in  my  bow^ 
neither  shall  my  sivord  save  me'' 

Tie  Psalmist  will  trust,  despite  appearances.  He  will 
not  be  afraid  though  ten  thousands  of  people  have  set 
themselves  against  him  round  about.  Let  us  here  limit 
our  thouglits  to  this  one  idea,  '^  despite  appearances.^' 
What  could  look  worse  to  human  sight  than  this  array 
of  ten  thousands  of  people  ?  Ruin  seemed  to  stare  him 
in  the  face ;    wherever  he  looked  an  enemy  was  to  be 


TRUST.  3 

seen.  What  was  one  against  ten  thousand  ?  It  often 
happens  that  God's  people  come  into  circumstances  like 
this;  they  say  ""all  these  things  are  against  me;''  they 
seem  scarce  able  to  count  their  troubles;  they  cannot 
see  a  loop-hole  through  which  to  escape ;  things  look 
ver}'-  black  indeed.  It  is  great  faith  and  trust  which 
says  under  these  circumstances,,   "I  will  not  be  afraid." 

These  were  the  circumstances  under  which  Luther 
was  placed^  as  he  journeyed  towards  Worms.  His  friend 
Spalatin  heard  it  said^  by  the  enemies  of  the  Pteforma- 
tion^  that  the  safe  conduct  of  a  heretic  ought  not  to  be 
respected,  and  became  alarmed  for  the  Reformer.  "  At 
the  moment  when  the  latter  was  approaching  the  city,  a 
messenger  appeared  before  him  with  this  advice  from  the 
chaplain,  '  Do  not  enter  Worms  ! '  And  this  from  his 
best  finend — the  elector's  confidant — from  Spalatin  him- 
self! -^  -^  -x-  -Jf  But  Luther,  undismayed,  turned 
his  eyes  upon  the  messenger,  and  replied,  ^  Go  and  tell 
your  master,  that  even  should  there  be  as  many  devils  in 
Worms  as  tiles  on  the  housetops,  still  I  would  enter  it."* 
The  messenger  returned  to  Worms  with  this  astounding 
answer.  ^I  was  then  undaunted,'  said  Luther,  a  few 
days  before  his  death,  ^  I  feared  nothing.' '' 

At  such  seasons  as  these  the  reasonable  men  of  the 
world,  those  who  walk  by  sight  and  not  by  faith,  will 
think  it  reasonable  enough  that  the  Christian  should  be 
afraid ;  they  themselves  would  be  very  low  if  they  were 
in  such  a  predicament.  Weak  believers  are  now  ready 
to  make  excuses  for  us,  and  we  are  only  too  ready  to 
make  them  for  ourselves;  instead  of  rising  above  the 
weakness  of  the  flesh,  we  take  refuge  under  it,  and  use 
it  as  an  excuse. 


4  TRUST. 

But  let  us  think  prayerfully  for  a  little  while^  and  we 
shall  see  that  it  should  not  be  thus  with  us.  To  trust 
only  when  appearances  are  favourable^  is  to  sail  only 
with  the  wind  and  tide,  to  believe  only  when  we  can  see. 
Oh  let  us  follow  the  example  of  the  Psalmist,  and  seek 
that  unreservedness  of  faith  which  will  enable  us  to  trust 
God,  come  what  will,  and  to  say  as  he  said,  '^  I  will  not 
be  afraid  of  ten  thousands  of  people,  which  have  set 
themselves  against  me  round  about." 

Helps  to  unreservedness  of  trust. 

1.  Remember  how  many  changes  things  take,  and 
that  they  do  not  always  end  according  to  appearances ; 
therefore  it  does  not  follow,  that  because  they  now  look 
badly,  they  must  of  necessity  end  badly. 

2.  Remember  that  all  can  be  turned  hither  and  thither 
at  any  moment,  and  to  any  extent  that  God  chooses ;  and 
if  His  mind  toward  us  be  unchanged,  present  appearances 
should  not  terrify  or  crush  us. 

3.  Consider  the  Scripture  examples  of  dark  appear- 
ances but  bright  issues. 

4.  Consider  examples  within  your  own  experience  and 
knowledge. 

5 .  Remember  that  any  one  can  trust,  or  seem  to  trust 
God  when  all  things  are  going  on  well ;  that  the  believer 
must  shew  his  faith  by  trusting  when  things  appear  to 
be  going  ill. 

6.  Remember  that  this  is  a  special  opportunity  for 
glorifying  God,  over  and  above  all  ordinary  ones. 

To  do  all  this  is  hard  indeed ;  but  there  is  great  grace 
for  hard  requirements,  if  it  be  sought.^     Let  us  make 

*  This  was  St.  Paul's  experience  in  2  Cor.  xii,  7 — 10.  "  And 
lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure  throuo-h  the  abundance  of 


TRUST.  5 

this  prayer_,  "  Lord  give  me  that  unreserved  faith  which 
will  enable  me  to  trust  Thee  unreservedly,  _  despite  all 
appearances/' 

The  following  recent  occurrence  will  perhaps  some- 
times come  into  the  reader's  mind^  when  he  thinks  that 

the  revelations,  there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the 
messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above 
measure.  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
might  depart  from  me.  And  He  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee ;  for  My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness. 
Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that 
the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me.  Therefore  I  take  pleasui-e 
in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in 
distresses  for  Christ's  sake :  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I 
strong." 

See  the  unreservedness  of  trust  displayed  by  Paul  in  the 
tempest,  in  Acts  xxvii,  22 — 25.  "  And  now  I  exhort  you  to  be  of 
good  cheer  :  for  there  shall  be  no  loss  of  any  man's  life  among 
you,  but  of  the  ship.  For  there  stood  by  me  this  night  the  angel 
of  God,  whose  I  am,  and  Avhom  I  serve,  saying,  fear  not,  Paul ; 
thou  must  be  brought  before  Caesar  :  and,  lo,  God  hath  given  thee 
all  them  that  sail  with  thee.  Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer : 
for  I  believe  God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me." 

Even  when  circumstances  assumed  a  darker  aspect,  his  faitli 
was  unshaken.  Verses  33 — 35.  "  And  while  the  day  was  coming 
on,  Paul  besought  them  all  to  take  meat,  saying,  'J'his  day  is 
the  fourteenth  day  that  ye  have  tarried  and  continued  fasting, 
having  taken  nothing.  Wherefore  I  pray  you  to  take  some  meat : 
for  this  is  for  your  health :  for  there  shall  not  an  hair  fall  from 
the  head  of  any  of  you.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  took 
bread,  and  gave  thanks  to  God  in  presence  of  them  all :  and  when 
he  had  broken  it  he  began  to  eat."  The  result  we  know,  "And 
so  it  came  to  pass,  that  they  escaped  all  safe  to  land." 

How  favourably  Paul  here  contrasts  with  Peter  in  Matt,  xiv,  30. 
"But  when  he  saw  the  wind  boisterous,  he  was  afraid;  and 
beginning  to  sink,  he  cried,  saying,  Lord,  save  me." 

B    a 


TRUST. 


ruin  is  about  to  be  brought  upon  him  by  some  either 
apparent  or  real  misfortune  : — 

A  Belgian  vessel,,  called  "  The  Leopold/^  recently  ran^ 
in  a  violent  storm^  on  a  rock^  near  one  of  the  Falkland 
Islands^  on  the  coast  of  Patagonia^  and  went  to  pieces. 
It  was  supposed  that  all  her  crew^  nine  in  number^  and 
their  officer s^  had  perished.  A  letter  was,  however^ 
subsequently  received  from  one  of  the  crew,  named 
Declerk,  announcing  that  he  alone  escaped.  He  swam 
to  an  island.  He  found  no  inhabitants,  and  had  to  live 
on  some  bits  of  bread  which  had  been  washed  ashore, 
wild  celery,  and  some  birds,  which  he  killed  with  a  stick. 
Happening  to  have  matches  with  him,  he  succeeded  in 
lighting  a  fire,  which  he  fed  with  turf.  To  make  his  fire 
burn  well,  he  partly  surrounded  it  with  some  planks 
washed  ashore  from  the  wreck.  One  night  the  wind 
blew  these  planks  into  the  fire,  and  they  were  consumed. 
He  thought  this  a  terrible  misfortune,  but  it  was  the 
memis  of  saving  him.  An  American  ship  happened  to 
be  passing  two  miles  off,  and  seeing  the  rising  smoke — 
an  extraordinary  thing  on  a  desert  island — some  of  her 
crew  disembarked.  They  found  the  poor  fellow  crouch- 
ing over  the  fire,  and  on  hearing  his  tale,  they  took  him 
on  board. 

The  Psalmist  will  also  thus  trust,  even  though  all  be 
unknown. 

We  find  him  doing  this  in  Psalm  xxiii,  4.  "Yea, 
though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  I  will  fear  no  evil."  Here,  surely,  there  is  trust 
the  most  complete.  We  dread  the  unknown  far  above 
anything  that  we  can  see;  a  little  noise  in  the  dark  will 
terrify,  when  even  great  dangers  which  are  visible  do  not 


TRUST.  7 

affright :  the  unknown,  with  its  mystery  and  uncertainty, 
often  fills  the  heart  with  anxiety,  if  not  with  foreboding 
and  gloom.  Here,  the  Psalmist  takes  the  highest  form 
of  the  unknown,  the  aspect  which  is  most  terrible  to 
man,  and  says  that  even  in  the  midst  of  it  he  will  trust. 
What  could  be  so  wholly  beyond  the  reach  of  human 
experience  or  speculation,  or  even  imagination,  as  "  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,^'  with  all  that  belonged  to 
it  ?  but  the  Psalmist  makes  no  reservation  against  it ;  he 
will  trust  where  he  cannot  see.  How  often  are  we 
terrified  at  the  unknown;  even  as  the  disciples  were, 
who  "feared  as  they  entered  into  the  cloud;"  how  often 
is  the  uncertainty  of  the  future  a  harder  trial  to  our  faith 
than  the  pressure  of  some  present  ill !  Many  dear 
children  of  God  can  trust  Him  in  all  known  evils;  but  why 
those  fears  and  forebodings,  and  sinkings  of  heart,  if  they 
trust  Him  equally  for  the  unknown  ?  How  much,  alas ! 
do  we  fall  short  of  the  true  character  of  the  children  of 
God,  in  this  matter  of  the  unknown.  A  child  practically 
acts  upon  the  declaration  of  Christ  that  "  sufficient  unto 
the  day  is  the  evil  thereof; "  we,  in  this  respect  far  less 
wise  than  he,  people  the  unknown  with  phantoms  and 
speculations,  and  too  often  forget  our  simple  trust  in  God. 
Let  us  seek  for  grace  to  exercise  a  simple  trust  as 
regards  the  future ;  just  to  be  content  with  seeing  God 
in  it,  as  the  Psalmist  was.  He  said,  ''  I  will  fear  no  evil, 
for  Thou  art  with  me;  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they 
comfort  me."  Whatever  the  unknown  was,  God  was  in 
it,  and  that  was  enough  for  him.  Oh !  how  would  this 
simple  trust  dispel  a  multitude  of  fears ;  how  would  it 
rid  us  of  gloomy  forebodings ;  how  would  it  take  many 
of  its  terrors  even  from  death  itself;  how  would  it  enable 


8  TRUST. 

lis  cheerfully  to  step  onwards  into  the  future ;  how  many 
heart-aches^  how  many  perplexing  thoughts,  how  many 
sleepless  nights  would  it  save  us !  The  unknown  is  God's — 
God  is  in  the  unknown ;  be  that  enough,  O  my  soul,  for 
thee;  say  "  I  will  trust,  I  will  not  fear ;  the  darkness  is  no 
darkness,  O  my  God,  to  Thee;  I  Avill  trust  without  reserve/^ 

Let  the  very  fact  of  our  not  being  able  to  concentrate 
our  thoughts  upon  the  unknown,  make  us  concentrate  our 
thoughts  upon  the  truth,  that  "  whatever  it  may  bring 
forth,  God  is  in  it  for  His  people;"  and  in  that  trusting 
thought,  we  shall  find  rest. 

Helps  to  procuring  this  trust. 

1.  Consider  that  in  all  known  circumstances,  God  has 
ever  been  found  equal  to  His  people's  need ;  hence  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  He  will  be  j;hus  found  in 
the  unknown  also. 

2.  Remember  that  the  unknown  future  contains  no 
chance ;  its  arrangements  are  all  as  distinctly  made  by 
God,  as  have  been  those  of  the  past. 

3.  Reflect  upon  the  very  position  in  which  you  are 
placed.  Do  yoiu'  utmost,  you  cannot  grapple  with,  or 
make  provision  for,  the  unknown ;  therefore,  unless  you 
trust  God  in  it  and/o?'  it,  you  never  can  have  peace. 

This  also  is  no  easy  attainment ;  but  if  we  would  live 
up  to  our  privileges,  or  honour  God  fully,  we  must  say 
with  David,  ''Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art 
with  me.  Thy  rod  and  Thy  staff  they  comfort  me."  We 
must  trust  unreservedly,  even  where  all  be  unknown. 

We  are  further  taught  by  the  Psalmist  to  makie  God 
the  great  object  of  our  trust,  even  though  the  usual  human 
instrujnentaUty  of  help  may  he  at  hand. 


TRUST.  9 

"  I  will  not  trust  in  my  bow,  neither  shall  my  sword 
save  me/^  said  he  in  Psalm  xliv_,  6;  and  that,  after 
having  expressed  his  belief  that  great  things  were  about 
to  be  accomplished.  "  Through  Thee  will  we  push  down 
our  enemies;  through  Thy  name  will  we  tread  them 
under  that  rise  up  against  us." 

Human  means  and  appliances  are  not  to  be  thrown 
away  as  useless  or  despised,  but  the  temptation  of 
trusting  in  them  must  be  guarded  against.  The  sword 
and  the  bow  were  surely  the  fittest  things  so  far  as 
human  appliances  went,  wherewith  to  go  against  the 
enemy :  they  seemed  to  make  provision  for  all  circum- 
stances of  warfare,  for  distant  skirmishing,  and  for  band 
to  hand  engagement ;  but,  whatever  they  might  have 
been  for  use,  they  were  valueless  as  objects  of  trust. 

"We  are  continually  prone  to  lean  upon  the  instrument, 
to  expect  much  from  it,  from  its  tried  efficiency,  from  its 
suitability  to  the  occasion,  from  its  being  apparently 
providentially  ready  to  our  hand ;  and  thus  we  very 
often  come  insensibly  to  think  too  much  of  the  instru- 
ment ;  we  expect  certain  results  from  it,  as  though  it  had 
powers  and  energies  of  its  own.  When  we  succeed,  we 
say,  "how  admirably  the  instrument  works;"  when  we 
do  not,  we  blame  the  instrument,  and  say,  "  how  it  fails." 
Satan  contrives  to  hide  a  snare  even  in  the  midst  of 
God^s  blessings;  when  God  prospers  an  instrument, 
Satan  is  pretty  sure  to  magnify  it.  We  must  be  very 
careful  ever  to  put  God  above  the  instrument ;  to  keep 
our  reliance  specifically  upon  Him ;  on  no  account  to 
lose  sight  of  Him  in  the  instrument.  Even  in  good 
things,  and  amongst  the  children  of  God,  the  error  of 
which  we  are  now  speaking  is  too  frequently  committed. 


10  TRUST. 

For  example  : — how  much  is  expected  from  a  preacher, 
while  little  is  expected  from  a  recognition  of  the  One  by 
whom  the  preacher  has  been  sent;  how  mnch  from 
human  friends_,  from  the  advice  of  certain  physicians, 
from  certain  well-known  and  efficacious  remedies,  and 
the  like,  without  its  being  remembered  that  God  makes 
use  of  these  means,  and  that  they  have  no  virtue  in 
themselves.  We  shew  practical  unbelief,  when  we  feel 
peace  because  we  have  certain  means  at  hand,  and  not 
because  God  Himself  is  near  to  help.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  sword  and  bow  are  our  comfort;  we 
go  in  SauFs  armour ;  we  do  not  make  mention  of  the 
living  God.  It  may  be  that  our  human  instrument  is 
weak ;  that  we  have  no  more  than  the  five  smooth  stones 
of  the  brook,  or  the  handful  of  meal  in  a  barrel,  and  the 
di'op  of  oil  in  a  cruise,  but  we  cling  to  it  nevertheless ; 
we  can  see  it,  and  sight  has  ever  more  power  than  faith 
for  poor  human  nature.  If  we  want  a  blessing  upon 
the  means,  let  us  put  them  in  their  proper  place.  They 
cannot  be  absolutely  trusted ;  in  themselves  they  have 
the  elements  of  failure,  weakness,  and  miscarriage ;  thej'- 
can  be  depended  upon,  only  so  far  as  faith  can  recognise 
God  in  them ;  yea,  and  even  more  than  this,  God  as  able  to 
do  without  them.  In  daily  life,  we  too  often  present  the 
extraordinary  spectacle  of  men  trusting  in  machinery, 
without  recognising  its  motive  power.  We  cannot  expect 
God  to  prosper  anything  which  intrudes  itself  into  His 
place,  and  detracts  from  His  honour;  the  bow  will  be 
effectual  in  proportion  to  our  recognition  of  the  fact, 
that  it  is  He  who  must  direct  the  arrow^s  flight ;  the 
sword  will  be  powerful  in  proportion  as  we  recognise  the 
truth,  that  it  is  He  who  gives  the  strength  to  grasp  its 


TRUST.  11 

hiltj  and  skill  to  wliet  its  edge ;  to  cnt^  to  parry_,  or  to 
thrust  j  tlie  means  will  do  most^  when  the  God  of  means 
is  recognised  most.  Let  us  reflect  on  this,  and  act  upon 
it  in  matters  of  daily  life ;  let  us  say  with  David,  "  I  will 
not  trust  in  my  bow,  neither  shall  my  sword  save  me ; " 
and  with  him,  doubtless,  we  shall  be  able  to  add,  "  But 
Thou  hast  saved  us  from  our  enemies,  and  hast  put  them 
to  shame  that  hated  us.^^ 

Helps  to  attaining  a  trust  which  will  put  God  above 
means.     Let  us  remember  that 

1.  All  human  means  have  in  them  only  the  virtues 
which  He  has  bestowed,  therefore  He  can  withdraw  from 
them  their  virtue,  or  increase  that  virtue  at  any  moment. 

2.  No  matter  how  much  certain  means  are  in  them- 
selves calculated  to  produce  certain  ends_,  a  thousand 
counteracting  influences  or  circumstances  may  intervene 
to  neutralize  or  destroy  their  efficacy,  therefore,  unless 
God  be  above  the  means,  and  not  dependent  upon  them^ 
we  cannot  be  sure  that  all  will  go  well. 

3.  When  all  means  fail,  God  is  as  well  able  to  work  as 
when  they  abound. 

4 .  Even  if  the  means  be  at  hand,  by  using  them  wrongly, 
or  feebly,  we  may  fail  in  producing  the  desired  result. 

5.  God  will  be  sure  to  blast  the  means  if  we  put  them 
above  Him,  or  make  them  independent  of  Him. 

Thus  He  did  in  the  case  of  Asa,  mentioned  in  2  Chron. 
xvi,  12.  "And  Asa,  in  the  thirty-and-ninth  year  of  his 
reign,  was  diseased  in  his  feet,  until  his  disease  was 
exceeding  great,  yet  in  his  disease  he  sought  not  to  the 
Lord,  but  to  the  physicians.^^  ''Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm."     Jeremiah  xvii,  5. 


12  TRUST. 

There  remains  yet  one  point  to  be  observed,  with 
reference  to  tlie  unreservedness  of  the  trust  whicli  we 
should  put  in  God. 

In  Psalm  Iv,  16,  the  Psalmist  says,  ^^  As  for  me  I  will 
call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.^'  Here  we 
have  cause  and  effect  linked  together,  and  the  Psalmist's 
unreserved  trust  in  the  union  of  the  two ;  he  will  call, 
and  the  Lord  shall  save. 

It  would  be  blessed  indeed  for  the  Lord's  people,  if 
they  continually  exercised  the  trust  expressed  in  this 
verse ;  if  they  felt,  that  when  they  called,  He  would  both 
answer  and  save.  This  trust  would  bring  us  gladly  to 
our  knees,  for  we  should  always  feel  sure  that  our  labour 
upon  them  was  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord;  it  would  dispel 
a  thousand  fears;  it  would  give  energy  to  our  prayers; 
it  would  save  us  from  casting  about  hither  and  thither 
for  help ;  it  would  simplify  many  of  the  intricacies  of  the 
spiritual  life.  While  others  were  rushing  to  and  fro, 
asking  what  could  be  done,  and  trying  one  thing  and 
another,  we  should  see  our  way  clearly  before  us ;  the 
use  of  the  '^  I  will ''  would  settle  all  for  us ;  our  trust 
would  bring  us  peace ;  we  should  say,  ^^  As  for  me  I  will 
call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.''  Alas  !  how 
often  do  we  call,  not  as  though  we  expected  God  to  act 
in  our  behalf;  the  utmost  we  can  say  is,  ^^I  will  call, 
and  perhaps  the  Lord  will  save  ms ; "  we  do  not  realize 
the  truth,  that  effects  must  follow  real  calling  upon  God ; 
our  prayers  are  rather  trials  whether  the  Lord  will  be 
gracious  unto  us,  than  petitions  founded  upon  the  full 
assurance  that  He  will  be  so.  If  our  feelings  were  put 
into  words,  they  would  be  expressed  somewhat  thus ;  "  I 
win   call,  but  I  do  not  know  whether  the  Lord  will 


TRUST.  13 

answer  me  or  not/^  Oh  !  for  a  larger  measure  of  trust 
in  the  exercise  of  prayer.  Oh !  for  a  fuller  belief  that 
for  all  spiritual  sowing  there  must  be  spiritual  reaping; 
that  no  prayer  offered  in  distress  and  in  faith  can  come 
to  nought.  This  faith  would  give  us  power  with  God, 
and  we  should  prevail ;  it  would  give  us  that  spring  of 
energy  which  is  conferred  by  the  prospect  of  success. 
See  how  the  prospect,  or  rather  the  certainty  of  success, 
sent  David  forth  with  a  springing  step  to  meet  the  giant 
in  single  fight.  ''  This  day  will  the  Lord  deliver  thee 
into  mine  hand,  and  I  will  smite  thee,  and  take  thine 
head  from  thee ;  and  I  will  give  the  carcases  of  the  host 
of  the  Philistines  this  day  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
to  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth ;  that  all  the  earth  may 
know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel.  And  all  this 
assembly  shall  know  that  the  Lord  saveth  not  with 
sword  and  spear ;  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord^s,  and  He 
will  give  you  into  our  hands."  1  Sam.  xvii,  46,  47. 
David  acted  out  this  confidence.  "  David  hasted  and 
ran  towards  the  army  to  meet  the  Philistine." 

If  our  trust  were  such  as  to  give  us  a  belief  in  the  power 
of  prayer,  many  a  thing  which  now  seems  impossible 
would  be  easy ;  we  should  know  how  to  produce  great 
spiritual  effects ;  we  should  pray  with  this  conviction, 
''^An  answer  (only  in  the  Lord^s  way  and  time)  ivill 
surely  come."  Let  us  not  be  above  learning  from  a 
little  child. 

At  the  time  of  a  great  drought,  several  pious  farmers 
agreed  to  hold  a  special  meeting  to  pray  for  the  much 
needed  rain.  When  the  appointed  time  came,  the 
minister  was  surprised  to  see  one  of  his  little  Sabbath- 
scholars  bringing  a  huge  old  family  umbrella,  and  asked 


14  TRUST. 

her  why  she  did  so  on  such  a  lovely  morning.  The  child 
gazed  at  him  with  evident  surprise  at  the  enquiry,  and 
replied,  "  why,  sir,  I  thought  as  we  were  going  to  pray 
God  for  rain,  Pd  be  sure  to  want  the  umbrella'^  While 
they  were  prajdng,  the  wind  rose,  and  the  clear  sky 
became  clouded,  which  was  soon  followed  by  a  heavy 
thunder-storm,  by  which  those  who  came  unprepared  to 
the  meeting  were  drenched,  while  Mary  and  the  minister 
were  sheltered  by  the  umbrella  her  faith  had  led  her  to 
bring. 

Here  are  some  practical  helps  to  believing  in  this 
union  of  cause  and  effect,  in  prayer.     Let  us  call  to  mind 

1.  The  large  promises  given  in  Holy  Scripture  to 
prayer. 

•     2.  The   statements  which  Holy  Scripture  makes  on 
this  head. 

3.  The  character  of  God  as  a  true  and  faithful  God. 

4.  The  many  instances  of  this  recorded  in  Scripture. 

5.  And  also  in  our  own  experience. 

Thus,  then,  we  have  seen  something  of  the  Psalmist^s 
unreservedness  of  trust.  May  we  aspire  to  having  the 
same.  jNIay  we  seek  to  grow  in  grace  until  we  can  say, 
^'^  I  will  trust  the  Lord  despite  appearances  ;  I  will  trust 
in  Him  though  all  he  unknown ;  I  will  trust  in  Him,  and 
not  in  meanSy  though  means  be  ready  to  my  hand;  I 
will  be  sure  that  if  I  call,  He  will  hear ;  that  there  is  an 
answer  for  every  prayer.'^ 

AA^e  have  now,  in  the  next  place,  to  consider  The 
(jREAT  OBJECT  OF  THIS  Trust.  It  IS  GoD.  God  in 
personal  relationship  with  the  soul;  God  assuming 
various  aspects,  according  to  that  soul's  7ieed. 


TRUST.  15 

That  God  does  assume  a  variety  of  aspects^  tlie  soul 
exercised  in  spiritual  things  well  knows.  It  recognises 
Him  as  ever  the  same  God,  although  under  different 
developments  of  Himself;  just  as  a  man  knows  that  a 
prism  is  the  same  prism,  although  it  exhibits  different 
colours  under  different  circumstances,  and  at  different 
times ;  or  as  a  man  knows  that  a  building  is  one  and  the 
same,  though  at  one  time  the  most  prominent  object  be 
its  massive  buttress,  and  at  another  its  tapering  spire. 
At  one  time,  the  prominent  idea  of  God  is  that  of  a 
Father ;  and  at  another,  that  of  a  Ruler ;  now,  He  is  the 
Refuge ;  and  now,  the  Shadow  for  the  afflicted  soul ;  as  is 
man^s  need,  so  is  God^s  development  of  Himself  toward 
him. 

And  here,  in  this  book  of  Psalms,  we  find  determina- 
tions to  trust  God  in  each  development  of  Himself;  the 
Psalmist  will  not  trust  Him  in  one  development  of 
Himself,  but  refuse  to  do  so  in  another.  He  does  not 
say,  "  I  will  feel  safe  in  Thee  as  a  Refuge  and  a  Fortress, 
but  I  cannot  feel  so  safe  only  under  the  shadow  of  Thy 
wing ; "  he  does  not  say,  "  I  will  trust  Thee  if  Thou 
drawest  me  into  the  secret  of  Thy  tabernacle,  but  I  will 
not  trust  Thee  amid  the  ten  thousands  of  the  peopled* 
The  ''  I  will  ^^  of  real,  trusting,  faith  and  love,  is  fixed  on 
God  Himself,  irrespective  of  times  and  seasons.  It  is 
well,  however,  to  contemplate  the  specific  characters 
under  which  God  presents  Himself,  as  in  relationship  to 
His  people;  and  to  endeavour  to  attain  to  that  high 
measure  of  faith,  which  will  enable  us  to  trust  God  in 
each  of  them. 

If  we  turn  to  Psalm  iii,  6,  a  passage  to  which  we  have 
already  referred,  we  find  the  Lord  there  coming  before 


16  TRUST. 

US,  as  ^'  the  Ruler  of  the  people/'  Ten  thousands  swarm 
around  the  Psalmist,  but  he  will  not  be  afraid.  And  the 
only  ground  upon  which  fear  could  be  removed  is  the 
supremacy  of  God ;  the  thought  that,  however  lawless 
the  people  were,  and  however  independent  in  their  own 
mind.  He  was  loftier  than  them  all ;  He  was  Ruler  in 
very  truth. 

Let  us  say,  '^  I  will  not  be  afraid,  I  will  trust,  because 
I  know  that  God  is  ruler  over  all/'  Circumstances  often 
arise  when  it  is  a  blessed  thing  for  God's  people  to  be 
able  thus  to  trust.  Enemies  appear  in  perhaps  unexpected 
quarters ;  it  may  be  that  we  find  our  foes  even  amongst 
those  of  our  own  household;  here  and  there  we  find 
them  starting  up,  and  even  those  whom  we  hoped  would 
have  been  on  our  side  prove  the  most  bitter  against  us ; 
sometimes  we  become  the  victims  of  a  series  of  isolated 
attacks ;  and  sometimes  the  enemy  comes  in  like  a  flood, 
bursting  upon  us  like  a  column  of  soldiers  trained  to  act 
in  concert.  Is  it  not  most  comforting  at  such  times  to 
be  able  to  trust  in  God  as  the  '^  Ruler  of  the  people?" 
One  stronger  than  their  malice  or  their  passions,  able  to 
put  His  hook  in  their  nose,  and  His  bridle  in  their  lips  ? 
Why  should  I  be  so  much  afraid  of  such  and  such  an 
one,  if  God  be  the  Ruler  of  the  people  ?  Why  should  I 
fear  such  and  such  a  party,  if  God  can  sway  and  turn 
their  hearts  and  plans  exactly  as  He  will  ?  Why  should 
I  compromise  principle,  either  to  gain  their  favour  or 
avert  their  wrath  ?  Enemies  of  various  kinds  we  meet 
with  in  the  world;  some  who  are  our  enemies  on 
religious  grounds,  and  some  who  are  so  for  some  worldly 
reasons,  yet  without  any  fault  of  ours.  The  way  to  be 
at  peace,  no  matter  what  they  say,  or  do,  or  plot,  is  to 


TRUST.  17 

trust  God  in  His  character  of  a  Euler ;  and  then,  like  the 
Psalmist  of  old,  we  can  say,  ^^  I  will  not  be  afraid  of  ten 
thousands  of  people,  which  have  set  themselves  against 
me  round  about/' 

We  have  now  to  retire  for  a  moment  from  the  strife  of 
tongues,  and  the  open  hostility  of  foes,  into  the  stillness 
and  privacy  of  the  chamber  of  sleep.  Here,  also,  we 
find  the  "I  wilP'  of  trust.  ^^  I  will  both  lay  me  down 
in  peace,  and  sleep;  for  Thou,  Lord^  only  makest  me 
dwell  in  safety .''     Psalm  iv,  8. 

God  is  here  revealed  to  us  as  exercising  personal  care 
in  the  still  chamber.  And  there  is  something  here  which 
should  be  inexpressibly  sweet  to  the  believer ;  for  this 
shews  the  minuteness  of  God's  care,  the  individuality  of 
His  love ;  how  it  condescends,  and  stoops,  and  acts,  not 
only  in  great,  but  also  in  little  spheres ;  not  only  where 
glory  might  be  procured  from  great  results,  but  v/here 
nought  is  to  be  had  save  the  gratitude  and  love  of  a  poor 
feeble  creature,  whose  life  has  been  protected  and  pre- 
served, in  a  period  of  helplessness  and  sleep.  How 
blessed  would  it  be  if  we  made  a  larger  recognition  of  God 
in  the  still  chamber ;  if  we  thought  of  Him  as  being 
there  in  all  hours  of  illness,  of  weariness,  and  pain;  if 
we  believed  that  His  interest  and  care  are  as  much  con- 
centrated upon  the  feeble  believer  there,  as  upon  His 
people  when  in  the  wider  battle  field  of  the  strife  of 
tongues.  There  is  something  inexpressibly  touching  in 
this  ''^ laying  down''  of  the  Psalmist.  In  thus  lying 
down,  he  voluntarily  gave  up  any  guardianship  of  him- 
self; he  resigned  himself  into  the  hands  of  another  ;  he 
did  so  completely,  for,  in  the  absence  of  all  care,  he 
slept ;  there  was  here  a  perfect  trust. 

c  3 


18  TRUST. 

Many  a  believer  lies  down,  but  it  is  not  to  sleep* 
Perhaps  he  feels  safe  enough  so  far  as  his  body  is  con- 
cerned ;  but  cares  and  anxieties  invade  the  privacy  of  his 
chamber ;  they  come  to  try  his  faith  and  trust ;  they 
threaten,  they  frighten,  and  alas !  prove  too  strong  for 
trust.  Many  a  poor  believer  might  say,  ''  I  vrill  lay  me 
down,  but  not  to  sleep."  The  author  met  with  a  touching 
instance  of  this,  in  the  case  of  an  aged  minister  whom 
he  visited  in  severe  illness.  This  worthy  man^s  circum- 
stances were  narrow,  and  his  family  trials  were  great; 
he  said,  ^'  the  Doctor  wants  me  to  sleep,  but  how  can  I 
sleep  with  care  sitting  on  my  pillow?"  It  is  the 
experience  of  some  of  the  Lord's  people,  that  although 
equal  to  an  emergency,  or  a  continued  pressure,  a 
re-action  sets  in  afterwards ;  and  when  they  come  to  be 
alone,  their  spirits  sink,  and  they  do  not  realize  that 
strength  from  God,  or  feel  that  confidence  in  Him,  which 
they  felt  while  the  pressure  was  exerting  its  force.* 
We  have  a  remarkable  instance  of  this  in  the  case  of 
Elijah  in  1  Kings,  xviii,  xix.  At  the  end  of  the  former 
chapter  he  is  represented  to  us  as  alone  confronting  the 
idolatrous  Israelites,  the  wrath  of  the  king,  and  the  four 
hundred  and  fifty  prophets  of  Baal,  and  the  four  hundred 
prophets  of  the  grove ;  in  the  beginning  of  the  latter  he 
is  a  fugitive,  running  away  from  the  threats  of  a  woman. 
When  Elijah  heard  her  threat  he  arose  and  went  for  his 
life.  There  is  a  trial  in  stillness ;  and  oftentimes  the 
still  chamber  makes  a  larger  demand  upon  loving  trust 

*  Ridley's  brother  offered  to  remain  -with  him  during  the  night 
preceding  his  martyrdom,  but  the  Bishop  declined,  saying,  that 
**  he  meant  to  go  to  bed,  and  sleep  as  quietly  as  ever  he  did  in 
his  life." 


TRUST.  19 

than  the  battle  field.  Oh!  that  we  could  trust  God 
more  and  more  with  personal  things.  Oh !  that  He 
were  the  God  of  our  chamber^  as  well  as  of  our  temples 
and  houses.  Oh  !  that  we  could  bring  Him  more  and 
more  into  the  minutiae  of  daily  life.  If  we  did  this,  we 
should  experience  a  measure  of  rest  to  which  we  are_, 
perhaps,  strangers  now ;  we  should  have  less  dread  of 
the  sick  chamber;  we  should  have  that  unharassed 
mind  which  conduces  most  to  repose,  in  body  and  soul; 
we  should  be  able  to  say,  ^'  I  will  lie  down  and  sleep  and 
leave  to-morrow  ivith  God  I'' 

Beloved  !  Shall  we  not  follow  the  Psalmist's  example ; 
shall  not  we  also  say,  ^'  I  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace 
and  sleep ; "  shall  not  we  also  surrender  ourselves  into  the 
holy  and  personal  care  of  the  Lord  ?  Let  us  observe  how 
loving  trust  secures  rest,  and  the  relaxation  of  the  over- 
strung soul.  The  Psalmist  would  lay  him  down;  he 
could  take  rest  in  God,  and  God's  personal  care  of  him. 
But  how  is  it  with  us  ?  If  our  trust  be  small,  we  can 
seldom  thus  rest  and  refresh  ourselves  in  God;  we 
cannot,  if  I  might  so  speak,  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  quiet 
in  Him,  and  with  Him ;  we  may  be  able  to  walk,  run, 
fight,  speak,  sing,  anything,  or  everything,  but  rest. 

Let  us  endeavour,  then,  more  and  more,  in  holy  trust 
to  realize  the  personal  and  vigilant  care  of  God;  to  see 
that  He  who  keepeth  Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor 
sleep.  Let  us  learn  as  Luther  did,  who,  looking  out  of 
his  window  one  summer  evening,  saw,  on  a  tree  at  hand, 
a  little  bird  making  his  brief  and  easy  dispositions  for  a 
night's  rest.  "  Look,"  said  he,  "  how  that  little  fellow 
preaches  faith  to  us  all.  He  takes  hold  of  his  twig, 
tucks  his  head  under  his  wing,  and  goes  to  sleep,  leaving 


20  TRUST. 

God  to  think  for  him!^*  God  is  honoured  by  such  trust, 
and  we^  on  our  part,  shall  be  benefited  ;  and  as  he  who 
is  well  rested,  comes  forth  from  the  privacy  of  his 
chamber,  refreshed  for  the  trials  and  labours  of  the  day, 
and  prepared  to  bear  its  burden  and  heat ;  so  we,  also, 
having  been  drawn  aside  from  all  turmoil  for  awhile, 
and  enjoyed  the  security  and  conscious  peace  which  is  to 
be  had  in  the  felt  presence  of  being  alone  with  God, 
may  go  forth,  able  to  do  and  to  endure  what,  otherwise, 
might  have  been  too  much  for  our  overtaxed  strength. 
Jesus  says  to  His  people  now,  even  as  He  did  to  His 
disciples  of  old,   ^'  Come  ye  aside,  and  rest  awhile.^^ 

We  now  turn  to  Psalm  Ivii,  1,  in  which  we  have  God 
presented  to  us  under  another  aspect,  as  ojie  ivith  over- 
shadowing wings.  '^  Be  merciful  unto  me,  O  God,  be 
merciful  unto  me ;  for  my  soul  trusteth  in  Thee ;  yea, 
in  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings  will  I  make  my  refuge,  until 
these  calamities  be  overpast.^'  The  same  idea  occurs  in 
Psalm  Ixi,  4.     "  I  will  trust  in  the  covert  of  Thy  wings.'' 

We  are  all  familiar  with  the  image  presented  to  us 
here,  from  its  use  by  oui'  blessed  Sa^^our  with  reference 
to  Jerusalem.  '^^O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that 
killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto 
thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children 
together,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  ye  would  not  \"  Matt,  xxiii,  37.  And  here, 
as  in  the  care  shewn  in  the  sick  man's  chamber,  there  is 
a  special  personal  presence  of  God,  in  which  the  soul 
finds  ground  for  trust.  But  there  is  something  peculiarly 
sweet  and  precious  to  the  believer  in  the  simile  before  us 
now;  there  is  the  active  interference  of  love  on  behalf  of 


TRUST.  21 

an  endangered  loved  one;  there  is  that  endangered 
loved  one^s  faith  and  trusty  making  the  shadow  of  the 
wingj  to  be  sought  as  the  sweet  refuge. 

Let  us  observe  here^  the  trust  of  the  Psalmist  in  the 
presence  of  calamities.  We  often  pray  to  be  delivered 
from  calamities ;  we  even  trust  that  we  shall  be ;  but  we 
do  not  pray  to  be  made  what  we  should  be^  in  the  very 
presence  of  the  calamities ;  to  live  amid  them,  as  long  as 
they  last,  in  the  consciousness  that  we  are  held  and 
sheltered  by  God,  and  can  therefore  remain  in  the  midst 
of  them,  so  long  as  they  continue,  without  any  hurt. 

This  continuing  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  or  of 
trial  brought  on  by  him,  will  be  no  more  than  was  the 
lot  of  many  an  ancient  worthy,  yea,  of  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation,  Jesus  Christ  Himself.  For  forty  days  and 
nights,  the  Saviour  was  kept  in  the  presence  of  Satan  in 
the  wilderness,  and  that,  under  circumstances  of  special 
trial.  His  human  nature  being  weakened  by  want  of  food 
and  rest.  The  furnace  was  heated  seven  times  more  than 
it  was  wont  to  be  heated,  but  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego  were  kept  a  season  amid  its  flames,  (as  calm 
and  composed  in  the  presence  of  the  tyrant^ s  last  ap- 
pliances of  torture,  as  they  were  in  the  presence  of 
himself,)  before  their  time  of  deliverance  came.  And 
the  livelong  night  did  Daniel  sit  amongst  the  lions,  and 
when  he  was  taken  up  out  of  the  den,  '^  no  manner  of 
hurt  was  found  upon  him,  because  he  believed  in  his 
God."  They  dwelt  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy, 
because  they  dwelt  in  the  presence  of  God.  "Thou 
preparest  a  table  before  me,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "  in  the 
presence  of  mine  enemies."  Psalm  xxiii,  5.  And  the 
promise  of  Israel  is  also  ours.     ^^  When  thou  passest 


22  TRUST. 

tlirougli  tlie  waters  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the 
rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ;  when  thou  walkest 
through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned ;  neither  shall 
the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."     Isaiah  xliii,  2. 

The  hen  shelters  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  in  the 
very  presence  of  the  enemy.  Ah !  how  do  we  shrink 
from  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  We  would  have  the 
enemy  taken  away  from  us,  or  have  ourselves  removed 
from  him.  We  can,  perhaps,  exercise  faith  as  regards 
either  of  these  events ;  but  to  be  able  to  live  safely,  and 
under  a  consciousness  of  shelter  in  his  presence,  is 
another  thing ;  this  is  undoubtedly,  a  high  degree  of 
faith  and  trust.  This  we  find  the  Psalmist  exercising 
here ;  and  this  may  the  Lord  enable  us  to  exercise  also. 
It  is  for  His  glory  that  we  should  dwell  at  times  in  the 
presence  of  our  enemies ;  that  we  should  be  there  under 
the  shadow  of  His  wing,  and  in  effect,  say,  '^  My  God 
can  sustain  my  cause,  despite  your  continual  efforts  and 
presence.  He  need  not  destroy  your  activity,  and 
annihilate  you,  in  order  to  keep  me  in  safety ;  He  can 
continually  and  evenly  neutralize  all  your  efforts ;  your 
intended  prey  is  kept  continually  in  your  sight,  but  you 
have  no  power  to  touch  it,  or  to  do  it  any  hurt."  Satan 
is  often  thus  foiled.  He  has  not  to  go  and  look  for  the 
beUever.  He  has  not  the  satisfaction  of  saying,  "  I  was 
crushed  by  a  force  so  far  superior  to  me,  that  it  was  no 
disgrace  to  me  to  be  foiled."  He  has  the  misery  of 
feeling  his  impotence  against  a  sheltered  believer;  of 
knowing  that  the  prey  is,  as  it  were,  actually  within  his 
reach,  and  that  he  cannot  touch  it.  And  although  this 
presents  no  visible  spectacle  to  the  human  eye,  yet  we 
may  be  assured  that  it  does  to  that  of  those,  who  can  see 


TRUST.  23 

invisible  things.  How  is  Satan  put  to  sliame  before  his 
kindred  evil  spirits^  when  the  weak  believer  is  actually 
in  his  sight_,  actually  before  him^  and  he  cannot  touch 
him  !  How  is  his  impotence  against  the  saints  brought 
forth  !  How  are  the  promises  of  God  proved  good_,  and 
His  mercies  proved  true  !  We  may  rest  assured^  that 
great  ends  are  being  accomplished  by  our  being  kept  in 
the  midst  of  calamities_,  kept  in  them  as  well  as  from 
them.  Let  us  remember  this_,  when  we  contemplate  the 
passage  now  before  us ;  let  us  seek  to  be  kept  in  trial 
when  God  calls  us  thereto^  and  cultivate_,  by  the  help  and 
teaching  of  the  Spirit,  that  determined  trust  which  shall 
enable  us  to  say_,  "  In  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings  will  I 
make  my  refuge,  until  these  calamities  be  overpast.^' 
"  I  will  trust  in  the  covert  of  Thy  wings.^' 

The  passage  before  us  has  yet  further  meaning,  and 
brings  to  our  notice  not  only  the  preservation  of  the 
believer  in  the  midst  of  calamities,  but  also  his  actual 
closeness  to  God.  To  be  under  the  shadow  or  covert  of 
the  wing  implies  closeness ;  to  be  under  the  shadow  of 
God's  wing,  implies  "  closeness  to  God."  Let  us  weigh  this 
well ;  let  us  attempt  to  realize  it,  and  it  will  bring  great 
peace  and  assurance  to  our  hearts.  We  know  what  a 
perfect  sense  of  security  the  child  has,  from  the  con- 
sciousness of  nearness  to  its  parent.  One  step  away 
from  that  parent,  and  all  is  trembling  and  tears ;  but 
there  is  no  need  of  these,  when  the  child  hides  behind 
the  parent,  or  touches,  or  holds  him.  God  is  close  to  His 
people,  and  is  willing  that  they  should  both  know  and 
feel  it.  Satan  comes  close,  and  the  Lord  will  not  be  far 
away ;  when  we  realize  the  closeness  of  the  Evil  One, 
there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  realize  the  close- 


24  TRUST. 

ness  of  God  also.  The  stronger  faitli  is^  the  closer  will 
it  ever  draw  a  man  to  God ;  and  the  feeling  that  we  are 
near  God_,  and  that  God  is  near  us,  will  give  ns  peace. 
There  is_,  perhaps,  no  sense  of  security  so  great  as  that 
which  man  derives  in  this  way.  The  "covering  with 
the  wing"  implies  an  "immediate  presence  of  God, 
and  that  in  connection  with  us,"  which  must  be  of 
inestimable  price,  when  danger  is  actually  at  hand. 

Once  more  :  we  have  here  brought  before  us  the  idea 
of  warmth.  While  the  wing  shelters  from  impending 
evil,  the  body  infuses  some  of  its  own  warmth  into  the 
sheltered  one ;  and  thus,  perhaps,  the  vital  heat  is 
restored,  the  current  of  which  was  impeded  by  the  chill 
which  we  know  comes  on  with  fear.  If  we  act  as  the 
Psalmist  did,  and  seek  the  sheltering  wing  in  real,  trust- 
ing faith,  we  also  shall  find  warmth  as  well  as  safety. 
God  will  impart  to  us  of  Himself;  our  vital  heat  shall 
come  from  heaven.  The  believer  would  be  saved  many 
and  many  a  cold  shiver,  if  he  habitually  sought  the 
sheltering  wing;  many  a  tremor  which  shook  the  soul 
might  thus  have  been  stilled ;  and  many  an  icy  feeling 
have  been  thawed ;  and  though  natural  resources  would 
have  supplied  no  warmth,  warmth  would  have  come  from 
God  Himself. 

All  comfort  in  present  calamity  is  to  be  had  by 
nearness  to  God.  Such  comfort  many  of  the  ancient 
saints  possessed.  Paul  and  Silas  could  even  sing  praises 
in  their  prison-house.  Nearness  to  God  will  infuse  into 
us  that  which  no  nervousness,  no  fear  can  chill ;  in  near- 
ness to  Him  we  shall  find,  that,  even  in  the  midst  of 
tribulation,  comfort  can  abound.  The  Rev.  Charles 
Simeon^s  life  contains  a  "  Memorandum  on  meeting  with 


TRUST.  25 

injurious  treatment/'  wMch  concludes  in  these  words. 
^'  My  experience  all  this  day  has  been^  and  I  hope  will 
yet  continue  to  be_,  a  confirmation  of  that  word,  ^  Thou 
wilt  hide  me  in  the  secret  of  Thy  presence  from  the 
strife  of  tongues.'  Insult  an  angel  before  the  throne,  and 
what  would  he  care  about  it  ?  Just  such  will  be  my  feeling, 
whilst  I  am  hid  in  the  secret  of  my  E^edeemer's  presence."'' 
The  following  thoughts  may  help  some  of  the  Lord's 
people  to  hasten  under  the  shadow  of  His  wing,  when 
calamity  comes  on. 

1 .  At  such  times  the  warmth  of  our  love  is  likely  to 
cool,  and  by  great  nearness  to  God  we  shall  receive  fresh 
heat,  which  shall  hold  our  soul  in  life. 

2.  When  the  believer  shelters  himself  under  God's 
wing,  Satan  has  to  deal  with  God,  rather  than  with  him, 
and  so  he  becomes  sure  of  deliverance. 

3.  Any  attempts  to  stand  out  alone,  and  fight  in  our 
own  strength,  and  with  the  measure  of  grace  which  we 
possess,  apart  from  the  immediate  recognition  of  God, 
will  be  sure  to  bring  upon  us  the  consequences  of 
spiritual  pride. 

4.  When  close  to  God,  hidden  under  His  wing,  the 
most  prominent  idea  in  the  believer's  mind  will  be,  the 
immediate  nearness  and  presence  of  God ;  and  that  v/ill 
bring  him  peace. 

5.  There  is  ever  in  God,  a  perfect  readiness  to  receive 
and  shelter  us;  and  that,  even  after  we  have  been 
wounded  by  our  own  rashness  and  presumption.  If  we 
will  but  seek  the  refuge,  we  shall  be  sure  of  welcome. 

We  now  turn  to  another  aspect  in  which  God  presents 
Himself  as  an  object  of  the  believer's  trust. 


26  TRUST. 

The  Psalmist  says_,  in  Psalm  xci^  2,  "  I  will  say  of  the 
Lord_,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress."  The  shadow 
of  the  wing  brought  before  us  the  idea  of  even  a  mother^s 
care^,  her  love  joined  with  protection ;  here  we  have  not 
so  much  an  active  as  a  passive  defence.  Resistance,,  the 
power  of  repelhng  assault^  and  such  like  circumstances 
of  war^  come  prominently  before  us. 

It  is  beside  our  present  purpose  to  enter  into  all  the 
points^  in  which  a  similitude  exists  between  God  and  a 
fortress ;  let  us  rather  consider  His  appearance  under 
this  aspect^  in  relation  to  the  shadow  of  the  wing,  which 
iias  just  come  under  our  notice.  There  is  a  strong 
contrast  between  the  two.  We  have  seen  the  believer's 
defence  by  the  watchful  eye,  by  the  head  turning  every 
way  to  meet  the  assault,  by  the  very  intensity  of  life 
exercising  itself  on  its  behalf;  (and  it  is  a  blessed  thought 
that  intensity  of  life,  even  of  God's  life,  is  in  exercise 
for  the  sheltered  believer ;)  but  now  we  see  the  frowning 
fortress,  the  thick  and  battlemented  wall ;  all  is  still,  in 
the  consciousness  of  mighty  strength.  The  idea  before 
us  is  the  repelling  of  assault  by  strength ;  the  trembling 
creature  within  the  fortress  is  not  presented  to  our  view 
at  all ;  he  is  there,  that  we  know ; — the  presentation  is 
that  of  the  great  God  Himself,  in  all  His  might. 

The  fortress  is  an  edifice  planned  for  purposes  of 
defence ;  forethought  is  to  be  seen  in  all  its  arrangements 
and  contrivances.  The  hen  shielding  her  chicken, 
developes  the  active  instinct  of  nature;  the  fortress 
shielding  one  taking  refuge  in  it,  developes  forethought, 
nnd  arrangement,  and  skill.  From  the  prominence  of 
these  various  ideas,  there  is  great  comfort  for  the  trusting 
believer.     AVhen  he  thinks  of  the  first,  he  says  to  him- 


TRUST.  27 

self,  "  God's  very  nature  secures  His  active  interference 
on  my  behalf; "  when  he  thinks  of  the  second,  he  says, 
"God's  mind,  as  well  as  God's  nature,  is  on  my  side. 
Satan  has  to  contend  against  God  in  His  forethought, 
and  His  plans,  and  His  arrangements ;  and  as  all  these 
develop  infinite  wisdom,  what  prospect  has  he  of  being 
able  to  succeed  against  me?"  This  thought  would  at 
times  be  very  profitable  to  us,  for  we  are  tempted  con- 
tinually to  make  our  own  plans,  and  to  trust  in  them. 
We  will  construct  an  entrenchment  in  the  open  field,  it 
shall  evidence  our  skill,  and  be  defended  by  our  valour; 
but,  alas !  our  mighty  resolutions  often  end  in  our  defeat.^ 
But  what  can  Satan,  skilled  though  he  be  in  all  spiritual 
sieges,  as  well  as  personal  encounters,  do  against  the 
mind  of  God  ?  There  he  finds  every  contingency  guarded 
against,  every  avenue  closed,  every  possibility  of  assault 
utterly  destroyed;  he  may  survey  the  fortress,  he  may 
make  a  demonGtration  against  it,  he  may,  in  his  madness, 

*  Thus  it  was  with  the  Israelites  when  they  attacked  the 
Amalekites  and  Canaanites,  as  recorded  in  Numbers  xiv.  "And 
they  rose  up  early  in  the  morning-,  and  gat  them  up  into  the  top 
of  the  mountain,  saying,  *  Lo,  we  be  here,  and  will  go  up  unto  the 
place  which  the  Lord  hath  promised :  for  we  have  sinned.'  And 
Moses  said,  '  Wherefore  now  do  ye  transgress  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord?  but  it  shall  not  prosper.  Go  not  up,  for  the  Lord 
is  not  among  you ;  that  ye  be  not  smitten  before  your  enemies. 
For  the  Amalekites  and  the  Canaanites  are  there  before  you,  and 
ye  shall  fall  by  the  sword :  because  ye  are  turned  away  from  the 
Lord,  therefore  the  Lord  will  not  be  with  you.  But  they  pre- 
sumed to  go  up  unto  the  hill  top :  nevertheless  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord,  and  Moses,  departed  not  out  of  the  camp. 
Then  the  Amalekites  came  down,  and  the  Canaanites  which  dwelt 
in  that  hill,  and  smote  them,  and  discomfited  them,  even  unto 
Hormah." 


28  TRUST. 

even  go  so  far  as  to  venture  to  assail  it,  but  the  fortress 
must  be  stormed,  before  the  one  taking  refuge  in  it  can 
be  hurt.  Hear  it,  O  trembling,  yet  trusting  believer ; 
God  must  cease  to  be,  before  the  Evil  One  can  take  away 
thy  life !  Thou  art  surrounded  (if  I  might  so  speak)  by 
the  arrangements  of  God;  all  His  foreknowledge  and 
wisdom  are  keeping  thee,  all  His  strength  is  put  forth  for 
thee ;  surely  a  realization  of  this  should  help  thee  also  to 
take  up  the  Psalmist's  words,  and  say,  ''  I  will  say  of  the 
Lord,  He  is  my  strength,  and  my  fortress. ^^ 

This  idea  stands  forth,  also,  by  its  visibility,  in  strong 
contrast  to  that  of  the  invisible  watcher  in  the  still 
chamber.  The  fortress  is  something  built,  and  estab- 
lished, and  manifest;  it  gives  an  impression  of  strength 
from  its  very  appearance ;  it  is  a  plan  carried  out  into  a 
result.  Under  this  aspect  it  is  our  privilege  to  see  our 
God.  When  He  presents  Himself  in  the  aspect  of  a 
fortress  for  His  people.  He  shews  himself  as  simply 
carrying  out  His  own  designs.  To  love  them,  to  protect 
them,  to  save  them  from  the  strongest  assault,  to  present 
an  impassable  barrier  to  the  utmost  efforts  of  their  foe, 
these  are  God's  designs.  He  carries  them  out  in  Himself. 
As  stone  cemented  to  stone,  presents  to  the  enemy  a 
front  which  lie  cannot  successfully  assail,  so  all  that 
makes  up  the  glorious  character  of  God,  connected  and 
knit  together,  presents  an  obstacle  to  Satan,  against 
which  his  utmost  efforts  cannot  prevail.  Oh !  that  we 
fully  realized  the  strength  of  the  fortress,  the  refuge 
which  is  ours !  Oh !  that  we  trusted  it  as  we  should, 
nay,  let  us  not  say  '^as  we  should,''  but  "as  it  is  our 
privilege  to  do."  God  loved  His  own  people  from  all 
eternity;    God  thought  of  them,  and  for   them;    God 


TRUST.  29 

intended  to  manifest  Himself  on  tlieir  behalf;  He 
determined  that  the  excellencies  which  were  in  Himself 
should  assume  a  substantial  development  for  them.  The 
believer  may  not  only  say^  "  I  know  what  God  thinks  for 
me/^  but  also,  ^^  I  know  what  he  is  for  me.^^  And  the 
more  he  ponders  this,  and  seeks  for  the  grace  of  faith, 
and  enlarged  trust,  the  more  plainly  will  the  outlines  of 
his  mighty  fortress  begin  to  be  visible ;  point  after  point 
of  its  great  strength  will  develop  itself,  as  the  mists 
which  hang  around  his  spiritual  vision  disappear;  and  he 
will  say  of  the  Lord,  ''  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress ; 
my  God,  in  Him  will  I  trust." 

It  is,  farther,  a  source  of  comfort  to  the  believer  to 
reflect,  that  that  on  which  he  puts  his  trust  is  established 
and  immovable.  Changes  take  place  above  and  around 
the  fortress,  but  its  massive  buttresses  still  stand  un- 
moved, and  its  battlements  frown  defiance  at  the  strength 
of  the  foe.  The  clouds  above  are  fleeting  past,  it  may 
be  in  silvery  brightness,  or  it  may  be  in  pall-like  gloom ; 
the  leaves  are  budding,  or  fading,  according  to  their 
seasons  upon  the  earth ;  but  there  stands  the  fortress, 
established  and  unchanged. 

And  why  is  it  that  many  of  the  Lord^s  dear  people  do 
not  realize  the  great  comfort  which,  from  the  very  fact 
of  God^s  being  their  fortress,  ought  assuredly  to  be 
theirs  ?  Because  they  look  at  the  changes  going  on  all 
around,  and  so  miss  the  truth  that  He  is  unchangeable. 
So  long  as  Peter  looked  at  Jesus,  all  was  well ;  but  when 
his  eyes  were  turned  to  the  waves,  and  he  saw  that  the 
sea  was  boisterous,  then  his  faith  began  to  fail.  If  we 
look  at  the  clouds,  ever  varying,  and  never  continuing 
in  one  stay,  we  are  not  likely  to  be  impressed  with  the 

d2 


30  TRUST 

idea  of  stability ;  if  we  look  at  the  clianging  leaves  and 
trees,  'continuance^  is  assuredly  not  tlie  idea  that  will 
come  prominently  before  our  minds ;  but  let  the  aspect 
of  the  heavens,  or  of  the  seasons,  be  what  they  may, 
there  stands  the  fortress ;  and  '^ continuance^  is  one  of  the 
grand  ideas  connected  with  it. 

"We  greatly  need  to  have  impressed  upon  our  minds,  a 
deep  conviction  of  the  firmness,  the  abiding  nature  of 
the  character  of  God.  We  look  at  ourseh^es,  and  our 
feehngs;  and  at  times,  when  all  seems  favorable,  take 
some  refuge  in  them ;  but  then  they  change,  and  we  are 
in  distress.  "VVe  look  at  the  effect  which  time  appears  to 
have  had  on  some,  who  once  seemed  the  greenest  in  the 
garden,  and  we  see  them  verging  to  decay,  their  first  love 
having  waxed  cold ;  but  we  look  not  at  God  in  Christ, 
unchangeable  and  unchanged,  ^^  the  same  yesterday,  and 
to-day,  and  for  ever.^^  Let  us  look  at  our  fortress,  and 
not  at  what  is  going  on  around  it,  or  at  the  numbers 
about  to  come  against  it,  and  seek  for  grace  to  trust. 

The  last  aspect  which  we  have  to  notice,  in  which  God 
presents  Himself  as  the  object  of  His  people's  trust,  is 
in  Psalm  cx\iii,  6.  ^'  The  Lord  is  on  my  side,  I  will  not 
fear :  what  can  man  do  unto  me  ?  '^ 

A  fresh  set  of  ideas  seems  brought  before  us  here; 
embracing,  no  doubt,  many  of  the  points  which  we  have 
already  considered,  but  distinctive,  nevertheless.  The 
reason  which  the  Psalmist  gives  here  for  his  trusting,  or 
for  his  not  fearing,  is  the  great  fact,  that  the  Lord  is  on 
his  side;  and  the  prominent  idea  which  this  brings 
before  us  is  Alliance ;  the  making  common  cause,  which 
the  great  God  undoubtedly  does,  with  imperfect,  yet 
with  earnest,  trusting  man. 


TRUST.  31 

We  know  very  well,  tlie  great  anxiety  shewn  by  men, 
in  all  their  worldly  conflicts,  to  secure  the  aid  of  a 
powerful  ally  ;  in  their  lawsuits,  to  retain  the  services  of 
a  powerful  advocate;  or,  in  their  attempts  at  worldly 
advancement,  to  win  the  friendship  and  interest  of  those 
who  can  further  the  aims  they  have  in  view.  When 
Herod  was  highly  displeased  with  them  of  Tj^e  and 
Sidon,  they  did  not  venture  to  approach  him  until  they 
had  made  Blastus,  the  king's  chamberlain,  their  friend. 
If  such  and  such  a  person  be  on  their  side,  men  think 
that  all  must  go  w^ell.  Who  so  well  off  as  he  who  is 
able  to  say,  "  The  Lord  is  on  my  side  ?" 

The  great  God  Himself,  then,  makes  common  cause 
with  His  people.  We  would  beg  the  reader  to  dwell 
upon  these  two  words,  "  common  cause.''  The  believer's 
cause  is  God's;  and  why?  Because  God's  cause  is  the 
believer's  also.  This  may  not  appear  prominently  at  first 
sight.  The  tried  and  tempted  believer,  absorbed  in  his 
own  necessities,  and  in  the  pressure  which  he  is  feeling, 
and  the  trial  he  is  enduring,  may  say,  "I  am  the 
sufferer ;  I  trust  indeed  that  God  will  help  me,  but  His 
aid  will  come  as  an  external  help ;  it  will  be  an  outflowing 
of  His  goodness  towards  me."  Thus  he  speaks ;  but  he 
does  not  say,  "  His  interests  are  identified  with  mine ; 
He  will  be  on  my  side,  because  my  cause  is  His  cause, 
and  His  cause  my  cause ;  because  we  are  in  relationship, 
and  must  have  a  community  of  interest." 

The  realization  that  the  cause  of  God,  and  that  of 
the  believer  are  one  and  the  same,  will  ever  make  the 
saint  seek,  and  feel  sure  of  having  His  help,  in  hours  of 
trial ;  he  will  never  feel  so  sure,  as  when  he  knows,  that 
the  Lord  is  working  for  His  own  name's  sake.     Here, 


32  TRUST. 

then,  is  a  grand  position  of  strength.  The  believer  says, 
"I  know  that  instead  of  being  in  conflict  with  e\dl_,  I 
might  have  been  left  under  the  power  of  evil.  I  know 
that  had  I  been  left  to  myself,  I  might  have  been  found 
in  the  ranks  of  those  whom  I  now  count  as  my  bitterest 
foes.  But  He  has  called  me  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  now  His  interests  are  as  much  concerned  as 
mine ;  He  will  help  me,  not  only  for  my  own  individual, 
personal  sake,  but  also  for  His  own  sake.^^ 

A  community  of  interest  is  a  wonderfal  bond  amongst 
men ;  we  consider  it  the  strongest  guarantee  for  unity  of 
action  ;  we  want  no  other  bond  than  this ;  we  feel  that  it 
stands  in  the  place  of  all  others.  We  think  rightly. 
Alas !  for  the  selfishness  of  man,  that  it  should  be  so. 
There  is  another  side,  however,  in  which  this  community 
of  interest  is  to  be  looked  at;  and  from  this  point  of 
view  the  idea  of  selfishness  is  wholly  excluded.  God 
cannot  be  selfish ;  He  has  given  us  one  grand  proof  that 
He  cannot  be;  He  '^'^ spared  not  His  own  Son,  but 
delivered  Him  up  for  us  all."  In  the  case  now  before 
us,  God  appears  on  man's  side,  not  only  because  He 
loves  man,  but  because  that  for  which  the  believer 
contends  is  the  truth ;  and  for  holiness'  sake,  and  truth's 
sake,  God  will  stand  upon  his  side.  God  is  for  truth 
and  for  holiness,  and  the  believer  has  by  grace  been 
called  into  the  knowledge  of  these,  and  by  circumstances, 
into  conflict  for  them;  he  cannot,  he  shall  not  stand 
alone,  God  will  be  on  his  side. 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  to  realize  this ;  for 
it  is,  under  any  circumstances,  a  trying  position,  to  stand 
alone.  We  may  be,  we,  no  doubt,  often  are,  called  upon 
to  stand  alone,  so  far  as  earthly  companionship  is  con- 


TRUST.  33 

cerned.  Elijali  Tvas  in  sucTi  a  position^  so  was  Daniel,  so 
was  David;  and  many  a  solitary  one  in  a  family,  and 
many  a  minister  in  a  dark  and  dreary  district,  has  known 
the  bitterness,  the  difficulty,  and  the  trial  of  such  a 
position.  We  cannot  secure  ourselves  from  it.  When 
we  seem  best  supported  by  human  help,  then  may  come 
a  sudden  stroke,  and  we  may  be  left  to  get  on  as  best  we 
can,  with  increasing  enemies,  and  thickening  clouds.  It 
is  at  periods  sach  as  these,  that  men^s  hearts  have  often 
failed  them.  They  seem  to  themselves  to  be  deserted  as 
Uriah  was,  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle,  that  they  may 
be  slain ;  they  say  with  the  prophet,  "  I  only  am  left,  and 
they  seek  my  life  to  take  it  away ;  '^  and  at  such  periods 
but  one  thing  can  avail  them,  and  that  is,  the  realization 
that  God  is  on  their  side.  At  such  times  the  people  of 
the  Lord  must  see  into  the  invisible ;  they  must  discern 
a  helper  where  man  can  see  none;  they  must  (if  they 
would  avert  the  direst  calamity)  be  able  practically  to 
say,  "  The  Lord  is  on  my  side."  If  they  cannot  do  this, 
we  need  not  wonder  if  something  akin  to  despair  take 
possession  of  their  minds.  They  see  the  enemy;  per- 
haps he  draws  out  all  his  forces,  on  purpose  to  overwhelm 
the  poor  tried  believer  with  a  sight  of  the  fearful  odds 
which  seem  to  be  against  him.  How  can  he  face  such  a 
multitude  alone  ? 

Let  God^s  people,  on  occasions  like  these,  learn  a 
lesson  from  the  lilies  of  the  field,  and  the  fowls  of  the 
air;  even  they  are  not  alone — the  first  are  clothed  by 
Him,  the  second  are  fed  by  Him.  The  people  of  God, 
if  they  read  nature  aright,  might  learn  much  from  even 
her  humblest  page ;  for  the  bending  grass  has  a  voice  as 
distinct^   if  not   as  loud,    as  the  sturdy  oak.     Myriad 


34  TRUST. 

voices  ever  testify  that  God  is  near.  This  truth  was 
found  beautifully  realized  a  little  while  ago  by  one  of  the 
agents  of  the  London  City  Mission^  who  was  visiting  in 
one  of  those  courts  where  the  houses  are  crowded  with 
inhabitants^  and  where  every  room  is  the  dwelling  of  a 
family.  In  a  lone  room  at  the  top  of  one  of  these 
houses,  the  agent  met  with  an  aged  woman,  whose  scanty 
pittance  of  half-a-crown  a  week,  was  scarcely  sufficient 
for  her  bare  subsistence.  He  observed,  in  a  broken  tea- 
pot that  stood  in  the  window,  a  strawberry  plant,  growing 
and  flourishing.  He  remarked,  from  time  to  time,  how 
it  continued  to  grow,  and  with  what  jealous  care  it  was 
watched  and  tended.  ^^Your  plant  flourishes  nicely; 
you  will  soon  have  strawberries  upon  it.^^  ''  Oh  Sir,^^ 
replied  the  woman,  "  it  is  not  for  the  sake  of  the  fruit 
that  I  grow  it."  "  Then  why  do  you  take  so  much  care 
of  it  ?  "  he  inquired.  "  Well  Sir,"  was  the  answer,  ''  I 
am  very  poor,  too  poor  to  keep  any  living  creature ;  but 
it  is  a  great  comfort  to  me  to  have  that  living  plant,  for 
I  know  it  can  only  live  by  the  power  of  God ;  and  as  I 
see  it  live  and  grow  from  day  to  day,  it  tells  me  that  God 
is  near."  A  small  moss  was  the  means  of  sustaining  the 
courage  of  the  celebrated  traveller  Mungo  Park.  He  was 
robbed  by  banditti  on  the  25tli  of  August,  1796,  when 
on  his  road  from  Kooma  to  Sebidooloo,  and  was  stripped 
of  everything.  "  After  they  were  gone,"  he  says,  ''  I  sat 
for  some  time  looking  around  me  with  amazement  and 
terror.  Whichever  way  I  turned,  nothing  appeared  but 
danger  and  difficulty.  I  saw  myself  in  the  midst  of  a 
vast  wilderness,  in  the  depth  of  the  rainy  season,  naked 
and  alone,  surrounded  by  savage  animals,  and  men  still 
I  was  five  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest 


TRUST.  35 

European  settlement.     All  these  circumstances  crowded 
at  once  on  my  recollection^  and  I  confess  that  my  spirits 
began  to  fail  me.     I  considered  my  fate  as  certain^  and 
that  I  had  no  alternative  but  to  lie  down  and  perish. 
The  influence  of  religion_,  liowever_,  aided  and  supported 
me.     I  reflected  that  no  human  prudence  or  foresight 
could  possibly  have  averted  my  present  sufferings.     I  was 
indeed  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,,  yet  I  was  still  under 
the  protecting  eye  of  that   Providence^   who  has   con- 
descended to  call  Himself  the  stranger's  Friend.    At  this 
moment^  painful  as  my  reflections  were,  the  extraordinary 
beauty  of  a   small   moss,   in   fructification,   irresistibly 
caught  my  eye.     I  mention  this,  to  show  from  what 
trifling  circumstances  the  mind  will  sometimes    derive 
consolation ;    for,  though  the  whole  plant  was  not  larger 
than  the  top  of  one  of  my  fingers,  I  could  not  contem- 
plate the  delicate  conformation  of  its  roots,  leaves,  and 
capsula,  without  admiration.     ^  Can  that  Being  (thought 
I)  who  planted,  watered,  and  brought  to  perfection,  in 
this  obscure  part  of  the  world,  a  thing  which  appears  of 
so    small   importance,  look   with   unconcern   upon   the 
situation  and  sufferings  of  creatures   formed  after  His 
own  image  ?  surely  not ! '     Reflections  like  these  would 
not  allow  me  to  despair.     I  started  up,  and,  disregarding 
both  hunger  and  fatigue,  travelled  forward,  assured  that 
relief  was  at  hand;    and  I  was  not  disappointed.     In  a 
short  time  I  came  to  a  small  village.^' 

And  even  if  the  tried  and  tempted  saint  be  not 
reduced  absolutely  to  despair,  he  is  at  least  very  likely 
to  be  depressed  to  a  fearful  extent.  He  may  be  conscious 
of  his  rectitude  of  purpose ;  he  may  be  fully  convinced 
of  the  abstract  truth  of  all  for  which  he  has  to  contend ; 


36  TRUST. 

he  may  believe  that  God  can  do  great  things ;  but  it  is 
all  to  no  purpose  if  he  cannot  realize  the  presence  of  God 
on  his  side.  Once  let  the  conviction  of  this  have  full 
power  upon  the  mind_,  and  then  the  believer  becomes 
strong  indeed^  and  independent  of  outward  circumstances. 
He  may  be  deserted  of  his  own  wife,  as  Job  was ;  or  of 
his  chief  friends_,  as  David  was;  or  of  those  who  had 
companied  with  him  the  longest,  as  Jesus  was ;  but  the 
consciousness  that  God  is  on  his  side  will  carry  him 
through. 

Dear  reader !  are  yon  sure  that  God  is  on  your  side  ? 
Is  your  case  like  that  of  Peter's;  though  Satan  desires  to 
have  you  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat,  do  you  feel  that 
Jesus  says  of  you,  "  But  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy 
faith  fail  not?^^  Have  you  made  peace  with  God 
through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb?  Do  you  love  that 
which  He  loves,  and  hate  that  which  He  hates?  Are 
you  true  in  these  feelings,  although  perhaps  very  im- 
perfect, and  very  weak?  Do  you  realize  that  God  has 
been  pleased  to  bind  Himself  to  you,  by  your  acceptance 
of  the  Saviour  as  your  own?  Then  you,  also,  like  the 
Psalmist,  need  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  you,  nor 
what  can  be  done  against  you,  by  those  evil  spirits  which 
are  stronger  than  man,  and  work  by  man.  It  is  highly 
possible  that  you  may  have  to  stand  alone — and  yet  not 
alone,  for  the  great  God  is  with  you.  The  fact  of  His 
being  on  your  side  is  everything;  in  that  thought  you 
will  find  both  strength  and  peace,  "  If  it  had  not  been  the 
Lord  who  was  on  our  side,  now  may  Israel  say;  if  it 
had  not  been  the  Lord  who  was  on  our  side,  when  men 
rose  up  against  us:  then  they  had  swallowed  us  up 
quick,  when  their  wrath  was  kindled  against  us :    then 


TRUST.  37 

the  waters  had  overwhelmed  us^  the  stream .  had  gone 
over  our  soul :  then  the  proud  waters  had  gone  over  our 
soul.  Blessed  he  the  Lord,,  who  hath  not  given  us  as  a 
prey  to  their  teeth.  Our  soul  is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of 
the  snare  of  the  fowlers  :  the  snare  is  broken,  and  we  are 
escaped.  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who 
made  heaven  and  earth. ^^     Psalm  cxxiv. 

The  thought  of  decisive  action,  or  taking  an  active 
part,  is  also  plainly  brought  out  here.  We  cannot  say 
that  a  man  is  on  our  side  if,  when  we  are  hard  pressed, 
and  need  his  aid,  he  remains  passive,  and  takes  no  steps 
on  our  behalf.  The  very  expression  which  we  are  con- 
sidering now,  implies  assault,  and  help  given  in  that 
assault;  one  is  assailed,  or  obliged  to  stand  upon  his 
defence,  and  another  is  lending  him  his  aid,  or  prepared 
so  to  do. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  God^s  people  too  often  forget 
His  activity."^     They  look  upon  Him  as  reigning  above,  as 

*  It  is  not  uncommon  for  Satan  to  keep  before  the  eyes  of  God's 
people  the  value  of  their  own  activity,  while  he  carefully  hides  the 
activity  of  God.  The  consequence  is,  trust  in  self,  and  distrust  of 
Him,  followed  by  discomfort  and  distress.  Self,  and  the  part  self 
has  to  play,  take  up  a  position  in  the  mind  wholly  disproportioned 
to  their  importance.  Whilst  called  upon  to  act,  and  esteeming  it 
an  honour  to  be  fellow-workers  with  God,  we  should  see,  also,  how 
He  can  do  without  us.  The  following  anecdote  may  help  us  to  see 
the  value  of  a  common  sense  view  of  the  activity  of  God,  and  may 
further  help  us  to  the  enjoj'ment  of  that  rest  spoken  of  in  page  33. 

"When  Bulstrode  AVhitelock  was  embarking  as  Cromwell's  envoy 
to  Sweden,  in  1 653,  he  was  much  disturbed  in  mind  as  he  rested 
in  Harwich  on  the  preceding  night,  which  was  very  stormy,  while 
he  reflected  on  the  distracted  state  of  the  nation.  It  happened 
that  a  confidential  servant  slept  in  an  adjacent  bed,  who,  finding 

E 


38  TRUST. 

having  all  resources  at  His  command^  yea,  as  being 
Himself  the  one  and  only  resource  needed;  but  not  as 
occupying  an  active  position  with  those  who  are  actually 
in  the  fight ;  hence  they  look  at  what  they  can  do,  and 
how  long  they  can  hold  out,  and  what  graces  they  have, 
wherewith  to  contend;  but  forget  to  look  for  positive 
and  decided  action  from  the  One  who  is  on  their  side. 
Let  us  avoid  this  mistake;  let  us  say,  ^''God  will  work;" 
let  us  expect  Him  to  work,  and  He  assuredly  will. 

Nor  must  we  forget  the  idea  of  co-operation  which  is 
presented  to  us  here.  At  first  sight,  it  may  seem 
presumptuous  to  speak  of  co-operation  with  God;  but 
the  idea  is  a  scriptural  one,  as  we  shall  see  by  referring 
to  1  Cor.  iii,  9.  '*^For  we  are  labourers  together  with 
God."  The  Lord^s  people  are  workers  together  with 
Him,  and  He  is  a  worker  together  with  them ;  they  are 
both  in  action,  and  for  the  same  cause. 

There  is  in  this  fact,  something  very  comforting  for 
our  souls.  When  we  are  called  upon  to  work,  God  will 
work  also.     He  never  by  circumstances  calls  any  man, 

that  his  master  could  not  sleep,  at  length  said : — '*  Pray,  Sir,  will 
yon  give  me  leave  to  ask  you  a  question  ?  " 

'« Certainly." 

"  Pray,  Sir,  do  not  you  think  that  God  governed  the  world  very 
well  before  you  came  into  it  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly." 

"  And  pray,  Sir,  do  not  you  think  that  He  will  govern  it  quite 
as  well,  when  you  are  gone  out  of  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Then,  Sir,  pray  excuse  me,  but  do  not  you  think  you  may  trust 
Him  to  govern  it  quite  as  well  as  long  as  you  live?" 

To  this  question  Whitelock  had  nothing  to  reply ;  but,  turning 
about,  soon  fell  fast  asleep,  till  he  was  summoned  to  embarkc 


TRUST.  39 

either  to  resist  evil^  or  to  do  good^  but  that  He  Himself 
is   willing   to    work   together   with   him.      How    much 
readier  should  we  be  to  enter  upon  conflict  with  evil^  or 
to  undertake  difficult  tasks  for  God,  if  only  we  could 
realize  this !     The  sense  of  weakness  would  no  longer 
oppress  us;    the  consciousness  of  disproportion  to  our 
work  would  never  daunt  us ;    we  should  feel  that  God 
was  with  us,  and  that  His  present  energy  pervaded  every 
effort  made  in  humility  and  faith.     Do  we  not  too  often 
fix  our  thoughts  upon  what  we  ourselves  are  doing,  upon 
how  ive  are  resisting  evil,  or  accomplishing  good ;    do  we 
not  practically  say,   ^''Am  I  equal  to  the  task  imposed 
upon  me?"     Let  us  remember,  that  God  will  work  too ; 
that  His  strength  will  be  in  all  our  efforts ;   that  He  will 
work  together  with  us.     It  may  be  that  man  will  not 
recognise  this ;  that  Satan,  taking  advantage  of  oui'  weak 
natures,  will  try  to  seduce  us  into  spiritual  pride,  saying 
''  You  have  done  this  or  that ; "  but  let  us  recognise  God 
working  in  us,  and  we  shall  thus,  at  one   and  the  same 
time,  possess  humility  and  strength.     The  working  of 
God,  and  the  recognition  of  God,  are  beautifully  brought 
before  us  in  Isaiah  xli,  13,  &c.     "  For  /  the  Lord  thy 
God  will  hold  thy  right  hand,  saying  unto  thee.  Fear  not, 
/  will  help  thee.     Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob,  and  ye 
men  of  Israel ;    /  will  help  thee,  saith  the  Lord,  and  thy 
Eedeemer,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.     Behold,  /  will  make 
thee  a  new  sharp  threshing  instrument,  having  teeth  : 
thou  shalt  thresh  the  mountains,  and  beat  them  small, 
and  shalt  make  the  hills  as  chaff.     Thou  shalt  fan  them, 
and  the  wind  shall  carry  them  away,  and  the  whirlwind 
shall  scatter  them  :    and  thou  shalt  rejoice  in  the  Loud, 
and  shalt  glory  in  the  Holy  One  of  Israel." 


40  TRUST. 

Let  us  take  care_,  also^  tliat  as  God  is  graciotisly 
pleased  to  be  on  our  side^  and  to  co-operate  with  us_,  so 
also  we  be  ready  to  be  on  His  side,  and  to  co-operate 
with  Him.  It  is  as  true,,  that  in  many  points  He 
permits  us  to  co-operate  with  Him,  as  that  He  is 
graciously  pleased  to  co-operate  with  us.  It  is  through 
man  that  He  carries  out  many  of  His  greatest  designs 
upon  the  earth.  Some  of  these  are  brought  to  pass 
through  the  instrumentality  of  those  who  hate  Him ; 
and  the  wrath  of  man  is  made  to  praise  Him ;  but  many 
through  the  active  work  of  His  own  peoi)le.  The  man 
of  God  should  be  ready  to  co-operate  with  Him  at  His 
first  invitation  or  command ;  he  should  not  hang  back  as 
even  Moses  did,  who  would  have  excused  himself  by  his 
unreadiness  of  speech ;  or  as  Jonah  did,  who  would  even 
flee  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  or  as  Barak  did,  who 
lost  the  honor  which  might  have  been  his  portion,  when 
Sisera  was  sold  into  the  hand  of  a  woman.  So  long  as 
we  look  at  ourselves,  our  feebleness  will  make  us  decline 
the  responsibility ;  but  the  consciousness  that  we  are  but 
instruments  in  the  hand  of  God,  should  make  us  willing 
to  be  wrought  with  by  Him.  The  case  of  David  is  full 
of  teaching  for  us  in  this.  When  he  went  forth  to  fight 
Goliath,  he  was  surely  in  himself  wholly  disproportioned 
to  the  task ;  his  limbs  were  not  as  strong  as  the  gianVs ; 
his  height  was  not  so  great ;  his  practice  m  warfare  was 
absolutely  nothing;  true,  he  had  contended  with  the 
terrible  spring  of  the  lion,  and  with  the  crushing  embrace 
of  the  bear ;  but  these  were  wholly  diflerent  from  conflict 
"with  a  man,  trained  to  war  from  his  youth.  But  despite 
all  this,  he  went  out  on  the  Lord's  side ;  he  knew  that 
he  was  a  worker  together  with  God ;  and  he  accepted  the 


TRUST.  41 

challenge  of  tlie  Philistine,  as  of  one  who  had  defied  the 
armies  of  the  li\T[ng  God — as  of  one  whom  he  would  meet 
in  the  name  of  God.  It  was  God,  assuredly,  who  was 
engaged  in  that  great  conflict ;  it  was  His  eye  that 
marked  the  place  in  the  giant^s  forehead,  where  the  fatal 
missile  was  to  sink ;  it  was  His  influence  that  guided  it 
through  the  air,  so  that  its  flight  was  true  for, the 
destined  spot ;  it  was  His  might  that  energized  the  arm 
of  David,  as  he  slung  forth  the  smooth  stone  upon  its 
errand  of  death.  Let  the  example  of  this  great  warrior 
of  God  not  be  lost  on  us  :  if  we  feel  that  the  Lord  calls 
on  us  to  work,  we  may  rest  assured,  that  it  is  not  to  do 
so  alone;  the  strength  will  be  not  in  the  instrument 
itself,  but  in  the  way  it  is  used. 

These  are  some  of  the  practical  thoughts  resulting 
from  the  truth,  that  God  is  on  His  people^s  side. 

1.  I  never  can  be  left  alone,  in  anything  I  am  called 
upon  to  do  for  God. 

2.  Nor  can  I  be  ever  left  alone,  in  any  resistance 
which  I  have  to  offer  for  God."^ 

*  Luther  was  enabled,  by  the  power  of  simple  faith  to  realize 
a  peace  which  was  not  possessed  by  his  fellow  labourer  Melanc- 
thon.  The  latter  seemed  overwhelmed  at  the  circumstances  in 
which  he  was  placed.  He  writes  to  Luther,  "  My  dwelling  is  in 
perpetual  tears.  My  consternation  is  indescribable.  O  my  father  ! 
I  do  not  wish  my  words  to  exaggerate  my  sorrows;  but  without 
your  consolations  it  is  impossible  for  me  here  to  enjoy  the  least 
j>eace."  Luther  traces  Melancthon's  trouble  to  a  want  of  simpli- 
city in  faith.  "As  for  Melancthon,  it  is  his  philosophy  that 
tortures  him,  and  nothing  else,  for  our  cause  is  in  the  very  hands 
of  Him  who  can  say,  with  unspeakable  dignity,  *  No  one  shall 
pluck  it  out  of  my  hands.'  I  would  not  have  it  in  our  hands,  and 
it   would  not  be  desirable  that  it  were  so.     I  have  had  many 

E    2 


42  TilUST. 

3.  I  must  have  on  my  side  the  full  benefit  of  the 
heavenly  alliance,  in  God^s  thought,  His  resources.  His 
energy. 

4.  How  wonderful  the  condescension,  and  the  love, 
which  makes  the  great  God  stoop  to  alliance  with  man ! 

5.  In  this  I  have  the  pledge  of  victory. 

6.  In  all  courses  of  action  we  should  seek  the  assurance 
that  God  is  on  our  side. 

7.  The  Lord's  being  on  my  side,  will  be  sure  to  develop 
itself  practically. 

Some  practical  results  which  should  follow : — 

1.  The  falling  away  of  human  friends,  and  the  drying 
up  of  human  resources,  should  not  stop  me  in  my  spiritual 
warfare. 

2.  I  ought  to  bring  as  vividly  before  my  mind  as  3 
can,  the  alliance  with  God,  and  realize  it  as  a  matter  of 
fact ;  so  as  to  make  it  confront  all  the  strength  that  is 
against  me,  and  compensate  for  all  desertions  from  me, 
and  weakness  in  me. 

3.  In  my  personal  conflicts,  I  should  feel  that  I  do  not 
stand  alone ;  and  in  active  service,  that  I  do  not  go  fortli 
alone. 

things  in  my  hands,  and  I  have  lost  them  all,  hut  whatever  I  have 
heen  ahle  to  place  in  God's,  I  still  possess." 

On  learning  that  Melancthon's  anguish  still  continued,  Luther 
wrote  to  him ;  and  these  are  words  that  should  be  preserved : — 
"  Grace  and  peace  in  Christ !  in  Christ,  I  say,  and  not  in  the 
world.  Amen.  I  hate,  with  exceeding  hatred,  those  extreme  cares 
which  consume  you.  If  the  cause  is  unjust,  abandon  it ;  if  the 
cause  is  just,  why  should  we  belie  the  promises  of  Him  who  com- 
manded us  to  sleep  without  fear  ?  Can  the  devil  do  more  than 
kill  us  ?  Christ  will  not  be  wanting  to  the  work  of  justice  and  of 
truth.     He  lives ;   He  reigns  ;  what  fear,  then,  can  we  have,"  &c. 


TRUST.  43 

4.  This  one  fact^  of  "  The  Lord  being  on.  my  side/' 
should  in  my  estimation  far  overbalance  all  the  confed- 
eracies and  alliances  against  me;  when  I  see  them,  I  should 
destroy  their  terrifying  influence  by  a  consideration  of 
this.  In  Psa.  Ixxxiii,  we  have  brought  before  us  the  strong 
confederacies  of  the  enemy.  ''  They  have  taken  crafty 
counsel  against  Thy  people_,  and  consulted  against  Thy 
hidden  ones.  They  have  said,  'Come  and  let  us  cut 
them  off  from  being  a  nation,  that  the  name  of  Israel 
may  be  no  more  in  remembrance.'  For  they  have  con- 
sulted together  with  one  consent,  they  are  confederate 
against  Thee.  The  tabernacles  of  Edom,  and  the 
Ishmaelites ;  of  Moab,  and  the  Hagarenes ;  Gebal,  and 
Ammon,  and  Amalek ;  the  Philistines  with  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Tyre ;  Assur  also  is  joined  with  them,  they  have 
holpen  the  children  of  Lot."  Such  was  the  confederacy, 
it  was  strong  both  in  men  and  money ;  but  the  Psalmist 
looks  to  his  God  to  act  against  them — he  says,  "  O,  my 
God,  make  them  as  the  stubble  before  the  wind."  And 
in  calling  upon  God  thus  to  break  up  the  confederacy, 
and  destroy  those  engaged  in  it,  he  reminds  Him  of 
former  mighty  acts.  "Do  unto  them  as  unto  the 
Midianites ;  as  to  Sisera,  as  to  Jabin,  at  the  brook  of 
Kison  ;  which  perished  at  Endor,  they  became  as  dung 
for  the  earth.  Make  their  nobles  like  Oreb  and  like 
Zeeb  :   yea,  all  their  princes  as  Zeba  and  Zalmunna." 

The  Lord  shews  us,  in  Isa.  vii,  how  easily  He  can  deal 
with  a  confederacy.  Rezin,  the  king  of  Syria,  and 
Pekah,  the  son  of  Remaliah,  king  of  Israel,  go  up 
toward  Jerusalem  to  war  against  it,  but  cannot  prevail 
against  it.  "  And  it  was  told  the  house  of  David,  saying, 
Syria  is  confederate  with  Ephraim.     And  his  heart  was 


44  TRUST. 

moved^  and  the  heart  of  his  people,  as  the  trees  of  the 
wood  are  moved  by  the  wind.  Then  said  the  Lord  nnto 
Isaiah,  Go  forth  now  to  meet  Ahaz,  thou,  and  Shear- 
jashub  thy  son,  at  the  end  of  the  conduit  of  the  uj^per 
pool,  in  the  highway  of  the  fuller^ s  field.  And  say  unto 
him,  Take  heed  and  be  quiet:  fear  not,  neither  be 
faint-hearted  for  the  two  tails  of  these  •  smoking  fire- 
brands, for  the  fierce  anger  of  Rezin  with  Syria,  and  of  the 
son  of  Remaliah.  Because  Syria,  Ephraim,  and  the  son  of 
Eemaliah  have  taken  evil  counsel  against  thee,  saying, 
'  Let  us  go  up  against  Judah  and  vex  it,  and  let  us  make 
a  breach  therein  for  us,  and  set  a  king  in  the  midst  of  it, 
even  the  son  of  Tabeal :  ^  thus  saith  the  Lord  God," — 
mark,  dear  reader,  how  He  will  deal  with  the  confederacy 
— ""It  shall  not  stand,  neither  shall  it  come  to  pass. 
For  the  head  of  Syria  is  Damascus,  and  the  head  of 
Damascus  is  Rezin,  and  within  three  score  and  five  years 
shall  Ephraim  be  broken,  that  it  be  not  a  people." 

Nehemiah  was  tried  by  the  existence  of  a  confederacy 
against  him,  when  he  undertook  the  rebuilding  of  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem,  but  he  knew  where  to  go  for  help. 
'^'^It  came  to  pass  that  when  Sanballat,  and  Tobiah,  and 
the  Arabians,  and  the  Ammonites,  and  the  Ashdodites, 
heard  that  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  were  made  up,  and 
that  the  breaches  began  to  be  stopped,  then  they  were 
very  wroth.  And  conspired  all  of  them  together  to 
come  and  to  fight  against  Jerusalem,  and  to  hinder  us. 
Nevertheless  we  made  our  prayer  unto  God,  and  set  a 
watch  against  them  day  and  night  because  of  them." 
The  conspiracy  of  Joseph^  s  brethren  against  him  ended 
in  his  being  promoted  so  high  as  to  be  only  second  to 
Pharoah  upon  his  throne. 


TRUST.  45 

It  may  be  well  to  add  also  a  few  words  upon  the 
circumstances  under  which  this  trust  is  to  be  exercised, 
A  good  deal  has  already  been  said  incidentally  on  this 
point ;  it  may_,  however,  be  helpful  to  gather  these  cir- 
cumstances together  J  and  look  at  them  by  themselves. 

In  Psa.  iii,  6,  and  also  cxviii,  6,  the  times  of  danger 
from  man  are  prominently  alluded  to.  ''\  will  not  be 
afraid/^  said  the  Psalmist,  "  of  ten  thousands  of  the 
people,  that  have  set  themselves  against  me  round 
about;"  and  again,  in  Psa.  cxviii,  6,  he  says,  "  The  Lord 
is  on  my  side,  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto 
me." 

Here  we  have  times  of  danger  from  men  brought 
prominently  before  our  notice,  and  the  Psalmist^s  deter- 
mination to  trust  God,  no  matter  how  imminent  the 
danger  might  be.  Now  we  must  not  under-c2iie,  even  as 
we  should  not  over-xdiiQ  these  dangers  from  men.  When 
our  fellow-men  are  opposed  to  us,  and  threaten  us  with 
evil,  and  proceed  to  active  opposition,  we  have  great  need 
of  Trust  in  God.  These  visible  dangers  are  likely 
to  exercise  a  powerful  influence  upon  such  frail  creatures 
as  we  are ;  they  press  us  closely ;  they  assume  a  distinct- 
ness, and  vividness,  and  reality,  which  are  calculated  to 
daunt  the  heart ;  we  feel  that  we  have  to  contend  with 
evil  in  its  activity.  When  we  can  plainly  see  that  men 
are  working  evil  against  us,  then  evil  seems  to  have 
embodied  itself  against  us ;  we  seem  to  feel  that  it  now 
has  means  of  working,  that  it  will  not  remain  idle,  that 
we  are  within  its  reach;  it  soon  makes  itself  felt. 

At  times  the  struggling  believer  has  to  meet  with 
opposition,  and  the  probability  of  hurt  from  the  very 
men  who  should  aid  and  befriend  him ;  he  is  obliged  to 


46  TRUST. 

say,  "  My  foes  are  those  of  my  own  household/ '  (see 
Matt.  x_,  36.)  "  Yea_,  mine  own  familiar  friend^  in  whom  I 
trusted,  which  did  eat  of  my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel 
against  me,"  (Psa.  xli,  9.)  As  in  the  case  of  David,  a  way- 
ward child  may  be  the  instrument  of  evil ;  as  in  Joseph^ s, 
it  may  be  one^s  brethren;  as  in  JoVs,  it  may  be  one's 
wife  j  and  danger  is  peculiarly  appalling  when  it  comes 
upon  us  from  those,  who  from  their  nearness  to  us  know 
all  the  avenues  of  our  heart,  all  our  circumstances  and 
habits  in  life,  where  and  how  we  can  most  easily  be 
hurt. 

When  evil  assumes  this  present,  and  this  \i\id  form, 
the  best  way  to  meet  it  is  by  making  our  Trust  do  the 
same.  We  must  oppose  a  vivid  sight  of  God,  to  a  vivid 
sight  of  man.  And  if  we  do  this  aright  our  fear  will 
soon  subside ;  we  shall  say  with  the  Psalmist,  '^  I  will  not 
fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me."  When  Goliath  came 
forth,  there  was  a  special  presentation  of  man,  but  David 
met  it  with  faith;  when  the  eight  hundred  and  fifty 
prophets  of  Baal,  and  the  grove,  confronted  Elijah  on 
Carmel,  there  was  a  special  presentation  of  man,  but 
Elijah  also  met  them  in  the  power  of  faith;  when  the 
armies  of  Sennacherib  came  round  about  Jerusalem, 
(Isaiah  xxxvi,)  and  that  proud  monarch's  blasphemous 
letter  was  delivered  to  Hezekiah,  there  was  also  a  special 
presentation  of  man,  but  the  king  of  Judah  meets  it 
with  faith,  which  enables  him  to  oppose  to  it  a  special 
presentation  of  God ;  he  owns  SennacheriVs  might,  and 
reminds  God  that  it  is  He  he  is  reproaching,  (verses  17 
and  20,)  "  Incline  Thine  ear,  O  Lord,  and  hear ;  open 
Thine  eyes,  O  Lord,  and  see  :  and  hear  all  the  words  of 
Sennacherib,  which  hath  sent   to   reproach   the   living 


TRUST.  47 

God.  "^  "^  Now  therefore^  O  Lord  our  God_,  save  us 
from  his  hand,,  that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may- 
know  that  Thou  art  the  Lord^  even  Thou  only.^^ 

No  doubt  there  is  much  which  man  can  do,  to  hurt  and 
injure  us_,  so  far  as  this  world  is  concerned.  Our  Lord 
Himself  tells  us  this  in  Luke  xii_,  4^  '^  And  I  say  unto  you_, 
my  friends_,  be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body  : '' — 
men  can  at  times  proceed  even  to  the  last  extremity ;  and 
if  to  that^  then  to  other  assaults  calculated  in  themselves 
to  terrify  or  annoy.  Our  Lord  tells  us  this  in  Luke  xxi^ 
12,  '^  They  shall  lay  their  hands  on  you  and  persecute 
you,  delivering  you  up  to  the  synagogues,  and  into 
prisons,  bringing  you  before  kings  and  rulers  for  my 
name's  sake."  See  what  a  description  St.  Paul  gives  us 
of  his  sufferings  in  2  Cor.  xi,  23,  &c.  Amongst  other 
things  he  tells  us  that  he  had  ''^  stripes  above  measure,'^ 
that  he  was  "  often  in  prisons,  and  in  deaths ;  five  times 
he  received  forty  stripes  save  one,  thrice  was  he  beaten 
with  rods,  once  was  he  stoned ; "  he  knew  what  it  was 
to  experience  ^^  perils  from  robbers  and  from  his  own 
countrymen,  perils  from  the  heathen,  and  perils  from 
false  brethren."  Our  enemies  can  break  in  upon,  and 
disturb  the  peace  of  our  home ;  they  can  hurt  our  bodies, 
and  our  means  of  livelihood ;  they  can  vex  and  thwart  us 
in  many  ways.  Even  if  the  enemy  be  not  active  in  his 
opposition,  he  can  do  us  harm  nevertheless,  by  looking 
coldly  upon  us,  by  engendering  suspicion  against  us,  by 
withdrawing  from  us  some  wonted  countenance  and 
support;  all  these  are  serious  things,  w^hen  we  are 
perhaps  placed,  to  all  human  appearance,  in  a  position 
of  dependence  upon  the  very  persons  who  treat  us  thus. 
May  we  have  grace  to  meet  all  this  by  simple,  ViwiA 


48  TRUST. 

trust,  by  seeing  God  to  be  for  us  with  the  same  distinct- 
ness tbat  we  see  man  to  be  against  us ! 

Let  us  consider  also,  the  time  of  helplessness  of  the 
believer.  We  can  imagine  no  more  helpless  condition 
than  that  of  sleep.  And  what  the  Psalmist  says  is 
this,  ^^  I  will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  sleep,  for 
Thou,  Lord,  only  makest  me  dwell  in  safety .^^  Helpless- 
ness is  one  of  the  great  occasions  for  determined  trust. 

If  we  examine  the  records  of  Holy  Scripture,  and  the 
lives  of  God^s  people  as  detailed  therein,  we  shall  find  the 
most  eminent  saints  placed  from  time  to  time  in  positions 
of  helplessness.  What  could  be  more  helpless,  as  we 
have  just  seen,  than  JacoVs  position  when  he  went  forth 
to  meet  Esau  ?  or  than  Joseph^ s,  when  he  lay  in  Potiphar's 
prison ;  or  than  Jeremiah's,  when  he  was  in  the  bottom 
of  the  pit;  or  than  Elijah's,  when  he  stood  alone  in 
confronting  the  prophets  of  Baal ;  or  than  David's,  when 
the  people  spake  of  stoning  him ;  and  again,  when  Shimei 
cursed  him  and  threw  dust  at  him ;  or  than  Daniel's, 
when  he  was  shut  up  in  the  lion's  den ;  or  than  the  three 
children's,  when  they  were  thrown  down  into  the  burning 
fiery  furnace ;  or  than  the  disciples',  when  they  were  sent 
forth  staff  in  hand,  as  sheep  amongst  wolves  ? 

That  we  should  from  time  to  time  find  ourselves  in  a 
helpless  position  is  no  new  thing :  this  is  no  mere  fortui- 
tous falling  together  of  circumstances,  but  a  permitted 
arrangement  of  God ;  He  will  teach  us  the  perfection  of 
His  strength,  in  the  perfection  of  our  weakness.  We 
may  rest  assured,  that  we  are  no  less  called  upon  to  realize 
our  own  intrinsic  helplessness,  than  to  put  forth  whatever 
powers  and  faculties  have  been  bestowed  upon  us  by  God  j 
we  have  to  be  taught  our  utter  helplessness,  apart  from 


TRUST.  49 

God,  as  well  as  what  we  should  do  in  the  power  of  God. 
The  apostle  found  this  sense  of  personal  weakness  no  bar 
to  his  being  strong  for  the  Lord ;  he  did  not  find  it  bring 
him  into  such  sad  circumstances,  as  would  be  the  natural 
consequences  of  such  weakness ;  he  said,  "  When  I  am 
weak,  then  am  I  strong/'  God  had  said  to  him,  "  My 
strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness,^'  and  he  had 
realized  the  truth  of  that.  What  we,  however,  desire 
to  attain  to,  is  the  being  able  to  say,  "  /  can  do  this,  / 
can  do  that ;  ^'  we  want  the  personal  comfortable  feeling 
that  we  are  individually  equal  to  this  or  that ;  and  there 
is  very  often  a  temptation  hidden  in  this ;  for  Satan,  when 
once  he  finds  a  man  working  in  any  feeling  of  mere  per- 
sonal spiritual  strength,  soon  tries  to  make  him  work  in 
a  feeling  of  personal  strength  which  is  natural,  and  not 
spiritual  at  all.  St  Paul  could  say,  "  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me ; ''  but  oh !  that 
strengthening  of  Christ  was  everything ;  that  was  what 
he  had  ever  present  before  his  mind. 

The  child  of  God,  then,  must  not  be  surprised,  if  from 
time  to  time  he  finds  himself  in  a  position  of  personal 
helplessness.  At  times  he  may  come  into  this  position 
in  his  worldly,  and  at  times  in  his  spiritual  cu'cumstances  ; 
but  whenever  he  comes  into  them  the  part  of  faith  is  to 
trust  unreservedly.*     Let  us  learn  from  the  words  of  our 

*  The  case  of  Jacob  is  a  very  instructive  one  in  this  respect. 
(Gen.  xxxii,  6.)  "  His  messengers  returned,  saying,  *  We  came 
to  thy  brother  Esau,  and  also  he  cometh  to  meet  thee,  and  four 
hundred  men  with  him.'  Then  Jacob  was  greatly  afraid  and  dis- 
tressed." And  no  wonder !  his  two  bands  were  helpless  women 
and  children,  with  cattle  and  in  all  probability  unarmed  servants, 
and  Esau  had  four  hundred  men.     These  two  bands  of  which  he 


50  TRUST. 

great  Teacher  Himself,  in  Psa.  xxii,  11,  19^  ''Be  not  far 
from  me_,  for  trouble  is  near,  and  there  is  none  to  help. 
But  be  not  Thou  far  from  me^  O  Lord,  O  my  strength,, 
haste  Thee  to  help  me." 

The  recognition  of  this  resting  upon  God^  met  with  a 
notable  blessing  in  the  case  of  Asa.  (2  Chr.  xiv^  9 — 15.) 
''  And  there  came  out  against  them  Zerah  the  Ethiopian 
with  an  host  of  a  thousand  thousand,  and  three  hundred 
chariots ;  and  came  unto  Mareshah.  Then  Asa  went  out 
against  him,  and  they  set  the  battle  in  array  in  the  valley 
of  Zephathah  at  Mareshah.  And  Asa  cried  unto  the 
Lord  his  God,  and  said,  '  Lord,  it  is  nothing  with  Thee 
to  help,  whether  with  many,  or  with  them  that  have  no 
power  :  help  us,  O  Lord  our  God ;  for  we  rest  on  Thee^ 
and  in  Thy  name  we  go  against  this  multitude.    O  Lord, 


speaks  in  verse  10  were  blessings  given,  but  they  were  blessings 
which  he  had  no  power  of  himself  to  keep  ;  and  this  lesson  he 
had  to  learn  now.  God  must  not  only  be  the  one  to  give  blessing, 
but  also  the  one  to  preserve  it ;  the  four  hundred  men  would  soon 
have  made  havoc  of  the  two  bands.  Under  these  circumstances 
Jacob  acknowledges  his  fears ;  he  says,  "  Deliver  rae,  1  pray  Thee, 
from  the  hand  of  my  brother,  from  the  hand  of  Esau ;  for  I  fear 
him,  lest  he  will  come  and  smite  me,  and  the  mother  with  the 
children ;"  but  he  falls  back  also  in  trust  upon  the  old  promises  of 
God ;  he  calls  Him  the  God  of  his  father  Abraham,  and  the  God 
of  his  father  Isaac,  and  reminds  Him,  moreover,  of  His  relation- 
ship to  himself  as  a  promiser  of  good ;  he  calls  Him  "  The  Lord 
which  said  unto  him,  'Return  unto  thy  country,  and  to  thy 
kindred,  and  I  will  deal  well  with  thee.'  And  Thou  saidst,  '  I 
will  surely  do  thee  good,  and  make  thy  seed  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea,  which  cannot  be  numbered  for  multitude.'"  Have  we  th« 
promises  of  God  as  ours ;  can  we  plead  them  ?  if  so,  we  need  not 
fear  man,  he  cannot  meddle  with  them. 


TRUST.  51 

Tliou  art  our  God ;  let  not  man  prevail  against  Thee.* 
So  tlie  Lord  smote  the  Ethiopians  before  Asa^  and  before 
Judah ;  and  the  Ethiopians  fled.  And  Asa  and  the  people 
that  were  with  him  pni-sued  them  nnto  Gerar :  and  the 
Ethiopians  were  overthrown,  that  they  conld  not  recover 
themselves;  for  they  were  destroyed  before  the  Lord^ 
and  before  His  host ;  and  they  carried  away  very  much 
spoil.  And  they  smote  all  the  cities  round  about  Gerar; 
for  the  fear  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them :  and  they 
spoiled  all  the  cities ;  for  there  was  exceeding  much  spoil 
in  them.  They  smote  also  the  tents  of  cattle,  and  carried 
away  sheep  and  camels  in  abundance,  and  returned  to 
Jerusalem.** 

And  in  that  of  Hezekiah.  (Isa.  xxxvii,  14 — 38.) 
"And  Hezekiah  received  the  letter  from  the  hands  of 
the  messengers,  and  read  it :  and  Hezekiah  went  up  unto 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  spread  it  before  the  Lord. 
And  Hezekiah  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  '  O  Lord 
of  hosts,  God  of  Israel  that  dwelleth  between  the  cheru- 
bims.  Thou  art  the  God,  even  Thou  alone,  of  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth :  Thou  hast  made  heaven  and  earth. 
Incline  thine  ear,  O  Lord,  and  hear ;  open  thine  eyes,  O 
Lord,  and  see :  and  hear  all  the  words  of  Sennacherib, 
which  hath  sent  to  reproach  the  living  God.  Of  a  truth. 
Lord,  the  kings  of  Assyria  have  laid  waste  all  the  nations 
and  their  countries,  and  have  cast  their  gods  into  the 
fire :  for  they  were  no  gods,  but  the  work  of  men*s  hands, 
wood  and  stone :  therefore  they  have  destroyed  them. 
Now  therefore,  O  Lord  our  God,  save  us  from  his  hand, 
that  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  may  know  that  Thou 
art  the  Lord,  even  Thou  only.*  -J^  *  ^  Because 
thy   rage   against    Me,    and   thy   tumult,   is   come   up 


52  TRUST. 

into  Mine  ears^  therefore  will  I  put  My  hook*  in  thy 
nose,  and  My  bridle  in  thy  lips,  and  I  will  turn  thee 
back  by  the  way  by  which  thou  earnest.  -J^-  -x-  •?€■ 
Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  concerning  the  king 
of  Assyria,  '  He  shall  not  come  into  this  city,  nor  shoot 
an  arrow  there,  nor  come  before  it  with  shields,  nor  cast 
a  bank  against  it.  By  the  way  that  he  came,  by  the 
same  shall  he  return,  and  shall  not  come  into  this  city, 
saith  the  Lord.  For  I  will  defend  this  city,  to  save  it 
for  Mine  own  sake,  and  for  my  servant  David's  sake.' 
Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  forth,  and  smote  in  the 
camp  of  the  Assyrians  a  hundred  and  fourscore  and  five 
thousand  :  and  when  they  arose  early  in  the  morning, 
behold,  they  were  all  dead  corpses.  So  Sennacherib  king 
of  Assyria  departed,  and  went  and  returned,  and  dwelt 
at  Nineveh.  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he  was  worshipping 
in  the  house  of  Nisroch  his  god,  that  Adrammelech  and 
Sharezer  his  sons  smote  him  with  the  sword ;  and  they 
escaped  into  the  land  of  Armenia ;  and  Esar-haddon  his 
son  reigned  in  his  stead.'' 

Thus  was  it  blessed  in  them,  assuredly  it  will  be  also 
blessed  in  us. 

Now  we  come  to  the  period  when  natural  fear  comes 

*  "  My  liook  ill  thy  nose ! "  What  an  expressive  phrase  is  this. 
A  ball  with  a  hook  in  its  nose  can  be  led  even  by  a  little  child. 
The  ferocity  of  the  animal  is  untamed,  his  might  and  strength 
remain  as  they  were  before,  but  he  is  powerless,  the  least  plunge 
or  struggle  is  restrained  by  the  pain  of  the  hook  or  ring.  Thus 
the  Lord  often  controls  wicked  men;  He  leaves  them  their 
ferocity  of  nature,  but  so  puts  them  under  restraint,  and  that,  by 
apparently  unimportant  means,  that  they  cannot  hurt  his  people. 
We  must  not  so  much  look  for  the  changing  of  the  bull's  nature, 
as  for  the  putting  the  hook  in  his  nose. 


TRUST.  53 

on  us.    "  What  time  I  am  afraid/'  (says  the  Psalmist  in 
Psa.  Ivi,  3J  "I  will  trust  in  Thee/' 

There  are  some  persons  in  the  world  who  seem  destitute 
of  fear;  they  have  a  natural  courage  which  defies  pain^ 
and  almost  death  itself.  Such  persons  are,  however, 
comparatively  few;  and  even  they  have  their  weak 
points,  through  which  fear  will  occasionally  make  its 
way.  We  are  most  of  us,  as  we  know  painfully  from 
experience,  subject  to  natural  fear  from  various  causes. 
Some  are  afraid  of  pain.  When  John  Howe's  son,  a 
physician,  was  lancing  his  leg,  Howe  enquired  what  he 
was  doing?  and  observed  "I  am  not  afraid  of  dying, 
but  I  am  of  pain.''  The  late  Sir  Robert  Peel  was 
engaged  with  Stephenson  the  great  engineer  and  others, 
in  making  some  observations  on  blood  under  the  micro- 
scope. Each  furnished  some  of  his  blood  from  a  scratch, 
and  at  length  Stephenson  asked  for  some  of  Sir  Robert's 
to  see  what  the  blood  of  a  politician  was  like.  Sir 
Robert  agreed  to  furnish  it,  but  shrank  several  times 
with  such  manifest  repugnance  from  the  necessary 
scratch  or  puncture,  that  at  last  the  experiment  was 
abandoned,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned.  Some  are  all 
their  life  long  subject  to  the  fear  of  death;  some  are  full 
of  nervous  dread,  lest  circumstances  should  go  wrong ; 
some  have  certain  persons  as  the  chief  object  of  their 
fear;  and  they  never  come  into  contact  with  them, 
without  having  their  fears  excited.  Inevitable  pain 
makes  some  shrink ;  and  the  mere  prospect  of  it  has  a 
terrifying  effect  upon  others.  Now  we  may  not  be  able 
to  prevent  fear  from  thus  affecting  us ;  this  fear  may  be 
sinless,  although  it  be  an  infirmitj'',  and  that,  one  of  a 
distressing  kind.     There  is,  however,  often  more  or  les? 

F  2 


54  TRUST. 

sin  mixed  with  human  fear,  because  it  often  arises,  more 
or  less,  from  want  of  Trust. 

We  have  many  instances  in  Holy  Scripture,  of  the 
Lord^s  people  being  put  into  great  fear.  When  Abram 
was  going  down  into  Egypt  he  was  afraid,  and  that,  even 
though  he  was  surrounded  with  the  promises  of  God ; 
he  says  to  his  wife,  '*  Behold  now,  I  know  that  thou  art 
a  fair  woman  to  look  upon ;  therefore  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  when  the  Egyptians  shall  see  thee,  that  they  shall 
say,  'This  is  his  wife  :'  and  they  will  kill  me,  but  they 
will  save  thee  alive.  Say,  I  pray  thee  that  thou  art  my 
sister,  that  it  may  be  well  with  me  for  thy  sake,  and  my 
soul  shall  live  because  of  thee."  Gen.  xii,  11,  &c.  When 
Jacob  went  to  meet  Esau,  he  was  '^  greatly  afraid,  and 
distressed."  Gen.  xxxii,  7.  We  have  the  terrible  effects 
of  a  night  vision  upon  Eliphaz,  described  in  Job  iv: 
"  In  thoughts  from  visions  of  the  night,  when  deep  sleep 
falleth  upon  man,  fear  came  upon  me,  and  trembling, 
which  made  all  my  bones  to  shake ;  then  a  spirit  passed 
before  my  face,  the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up."  David 
also,  who  was  pre-eminent  for  valour,  by  whose  mighty 
arm  the  giant  had  fallen,  was  thus  distressed  by  his 
own  people,  when  the  Amalekites  had  invaded  Ziklag, 
and  taken  away  captive  the  wives,  and  daughters,  and 
sons  of  his  men;  "then  David  was  greatly  distressed, 
for  the  people  spake  of  stoning  him,  because  the  soul  of 
all  the  people  was  grieved,  every  man  for  his  sons  and  for 
his  daughters,  but  David  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord 
his  God."  1  Sam.  xxx,  6.  Elijah  as  we  have  already 
seen,  was  put  in  fear  by  Jezebel,  as  we  read  in  1  Kings 
xix,  and  that  after  an  extraordinary  display  of  courage, 
*^  the  standing  alone  against  eight  hundred  and  fifty  men ! " 


TRUST.  55 

Now  when  natural  fear  comes  upon  us^  our  best  remedy 
for  it  will  surely  be^  simple  trust  in  God.  This  fear  may 
not  be  a  specific  act  of  unbelief;  it  may  be  only  the 
natural  consequent  of  the  weakness^  or  nervousness,  of 
our  nature ;  but  the  remedy  for  it  is  simple  trust  in  God. 
And  let  us  beware  of  the  temptation  of  Satan,  which 
would  say  to  us,  "  God  has  nothing  to  do  with  fear  of 
this  kind ;  He  will  make  no  allowances  for  it ;  He  will 
feel  no  sympathy  for  the  man  that  is  afflicted  with  it ; 
He  looks  down  upon  it  as  weakness ;  if  this  fear  were  a 
spiritual  matter,  He  would  encourage  you,  and  help  you 
out  of  it,  but  He  cannot  be  expected  to  condescend  to 
every  petty  weakness  of  your  nature."  Such  thoughts 
as  these  are  unjust  indeed  toward  God ;  we  are  told  that 
^'  He  knoweth  whereof  we  are  made;"  we  know  that  all 
things  lie  open  before  His  eyes,  and  however  unimportant 
or  unfounded  our  fears  may  really  be,  He  knows  that 
they  are  of  real  importance  to  us ;  and  He  acts,  not  only 
with  reference  to  His  own  greatness,  but  also  with  ref- 
erence to  our  weakness.  When  Peter,  Matt,  xiv,  30, 
"  saw  the  wind  boisterous,  he  was  afraid,  and  beginning 
to  sink,  he  cried,  saying.  Lord  save  me ;"  and  Jesus  did 
not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  his  distress — "  Immediately  Jesus 
stretched  forth  His  hand,  and  caught  him,  and  said  unto 
him,  O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?" 
Everything  connected  with  a  child  of  God,  whether  it 
belong  to  his  body  or  his  soul,  to  his  temporal  or  eternal 
concerns,  interests  the  Most  High.  "  Like  as  a  father 
pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear 
Him."  Psalm  ciii,  13.  And  in  this  respect,  God 
assuredly  deals  with  His  people  as  a  parent  does  with 
a  child.     The  child  may  be  alarmed  at  but  a  very  little 


56  TRUST. 

thing;  perhaps  at  nothing  more  than  the  sight  of  a 
strange  face,  or  the  sound  of  an  insect,  or  the  falling 
darkness  of  the  night;  there  is  nothing  in  all  this  to 
be  really  frightened  at,  the  father  well  knows;  but  he 
tenderly  remembers  the  weakness  and  the  ignorance  of 
the  child ;  he  sees  that  his  child  is  suffering  real  fear,  and 
therefore  he  acts  accordingly;  perhaps  pointing  out  to 
the  little  one  his  error,  but  certainly  soothing  him  in  his 
fright,  and  whiling  away  his  sorrow. 

When  natural  fear  comes  upon  us,  let  us  remember 
this.  When  we  wince  in  the  body,  may  grace  be  given 
to  us  to  commit  the  body,  and  its  fears,  to  God ;  let  us 
not  shrink  from  doing  so,  under  the  impression  that  it  is 
beneath  Him  to  attend  to  us ;  He  will  be  gracious  to  us 
in  the  matter  of  our  fears,  as  well  as  in  that  of  our  wants. 
Nehemiah  committed  all  to  God,  when  men  would  have 
put  him  in  fear;  as  we  read  in  chapter  vi,  9 — 14.  And  long 
before  that,  when  the  pressure  of  direst  necessity  was 
upon  the  Israelites,  Moses  said  unto  them,  "Fear  ye 
not,  stand  still  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord.^' 
Exod.  xiv,  13.  With  us,  let  the  time  of  natural  fear  be 
also  the  time  of  trust ;  let  us  say  with  the  Psalmist : 
"  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in  Thee,^^  Psa.  Ivi,  3; 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the  "  Lord  will  give 
thee  rest  from  thy  sorrow  and  thy  fear,  and  from  the 
hard  bondage  wherewith  thou  wast  made  to  serve,^^  and 
thou  shalt  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  I  sought  the  Lord, 
and  he  heard  me,  and  delivered  me  from  all  my  fears.^' 
Psa.  xxxiv,  4. 

And  before  we  leave  this  branch  of  our  subject,  let  us 
for  a  moment  recall  to  mind  the  human  nature  of  our 
Lord.     The  Saviour's  body  was  like  ours,  subject  to  paia 


TRUST.  57 

and  suffering  of  evei*y  kind.  He  had  precisely  the  same 
natural  views  of  pain  that  we  have ;  the  same  shrinkings 
from  it ;  the  actual  feelings  of  human  nature  concerning 
it ;  He  did  not  consider  pain  an  evil^  to  be  philosophically 
descanted  upon,  or  stoically  endured ;  He  knew  it  to  be 
a  portion  of  the  curse ;  and  forasmuch  as  all  the  effects 
of  the  curse  must  fall  upon  Him,  pain,  without  any 
extraordinary  mitigation,  was  His  lot.  The  prospect  of 
suffering  was  as  terrible  to  the  Saviour  in  His  flesh,  as  it 
is  to  us  in  ours ;  for  His  flesh  was  the  same  as  ours. 
Every  nerve  in  His  holy  body  had  quick  susceptibility; 
every  human  instinct  shrank  back  from  the  pressure  of 
physical  suffering.  He  was  very  man ;  and  though  now 
in  a  glorified  body.  He  is  very  man  still,  at  God^s  right 
hand. 

Let  us  not  forget  that  Christ  still  possesses  human 
sympathies.  He  remembers  well  His  own  human  feel- 
ings with  respect  to  pain ;  how  His  human  nature  shrank 
back  from  the  mental  anguish  of  Gethsemane,  and  the 
bodily  torture  of  the  cross ;  all  these  things  are  before 
Him;  and  He  knows  that  His  people  are  even  as  He 
was ;  that  they  feel  as  He  did ;  therefore  He  can  sympa- 
thize with  them,  and  send  them  help  according  to  their 
need.  If  an  angel  were  sent  from  heaven  to  strengthen 
Him,  His  people  shall  not  be  left  destitute  of  such  help 
as  they  require ;  He  will  deal  with  them,  in  their  suffer- 
ings, in  the  remembrance  of  His  own.  When  what  we 
terribly  feared  is  actually  upon  us ;  when  we  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  in  Psalm  Ixix,  "  The  waters  are  come  in  unto  my 
soul,  I  sink  in  deep  mire  where  there  is  no  standing,  I  am 
come  into  deep  waters  where  the  floods  overflow  me,"  we 
shall  not  be  left  alone,  if  only  we  have  grace  to  trust. 


58  TRUST. 

The  Psalmist  declares,  that  he  will  thus  call  upon  God, 
when  the  calamity  is  actually  upon  him.  "  In  the  day 
of  my  trouble  I  will  call  upon  Thee,  for  Thou  wilt  answer 
me"  Psalm  Ixxxvi,  7.  An  affecting  picture  of  this 
day  of  trouble  we  have  given  to  us  in  Psalm  cxvi,  3,  &c. 
'^  The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and  the  pains  of 
hell  gat  hold  upon  me,  I  found  trouble  and  sorrow ;  then 
called  I  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  O  Lord,  I  beseech 
Thee  deliver  my  soul."  Then  what  came  to  pass  ? 
^'^  Gracious  (says  the  Psalmist)  is  the  Lord,  and  righteous, 
yea,  our  God  is  merciful.  The  Lord  preserveth  the 
simple.  I  was  brought  low,  and  He  helped  me.  Return 
unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee;  for  Thou  hast  delivered  my 
soul  from  death,  mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  feet  from 
falling." 

If  we  were  able  thus  to  trust  in  God,  and  to  stay  our- 
selves upon  Him,  when  the  sufferings  of  pain  were 
actually  upon  us,  we  should  be  able  to  bear  them  far 
better  than  we  have  perhaps  ever  hitherto  done. 

Thus  the  martyrs  seem  to  have  done,  and  very  wonder- 
ful are  the  histories  of  their  deaths.  When  we  consider 
their  greater  pains,  and  their  patience  in  the  midst  of 
them,  rnay  we,  in  our  lesser  pains,  bear  all  as  trusting  in 
a  God  whose  immediate  presence  we  are  able  to  realize 
and  feel.  "VVe  are  told  that  a  young  man  named  Jones, 
the  son  of  a  Welsh  Knight,  came  to  Bishop  Farrar  a  few 
days  before  he  suffered,  and  lamented  the  painfulness  of 
the  death  prepared  for  him.  The  Bishop,  in  faith, 
relying  upon  the  extraordinary  support  vouchsafed  to 
those  who  were  thus  publicly  called  to  seal  their  testi- 
mony with  their  blood,  told  the  youth  to  mark  him  while 


,  TRUST.  59 

suffering  that  painful  death,  and  if  he  saw  him  once  stir, 
then  to  give  no  credit  to  the  doctrines  he  had  preached. 
Foxe  adds_,  "  And  as  he  said,  so  he  right  well  performed 
the  same ;  for  so  patiently  he  stood,  that  he  never  moved, 
hut  even  as  he  stood  holding  up  his  stumps,  so  still  he 
continued,  tiU  one  Richard  Gravell,  with  a  staff,  dashed 
him  upon  the  head,  and  struck  him  down.^^  When  the 
fire  was  kindled  about  Dr.  Taylor,  he  held  up  his  hands, 
and  said  "  Merciful  Father  of  heaven,  for  Jesus  Christ, 
my  Saviour's  sake,  receive  my  soul  into  Thy  hands." 
He  stood  still  in  the  midst  of  the  flames,  without  crying 
or  moving,  his  hands  folded  together,  till  Soyce  struck 
him  down  with  a  halbert.  The  particulars  of  Hooper's 
death,  as  given  by  Foxe,  are  too  shocking  to  be  given 
here  at  length ;  but  he  endured  them  all  in  the  strength 
of  God.  When  three  irons  were  brought  for  the  purpose 
of  fastening  him  to  the  stake,  he  said,  "  Trouble  not 
yourselves ;  I  doubt  not  God  will  give  strength  sufficient 
to  abide  the  fire,  without  these  bands ;  notwithstanding, 
suspecting  the  Aveakness  of  the  flesh,  although  I  have 
assured  confidence  in  God's  strength,  do  as  ye  think 
good.'^  In  the  fire.  Hooper  stood  praying,  ^'  O  Jesus, 
Son  of  David,  have  mercy  upon  me,  and  receive  my 
soul."  And  when  the  fire  was  spent,  he  wiped  his  eyes 
with  his  hands,  and  mildly  but  earnestly  entreated  that 
more  fire  might  be  brought.  "After  suffering  inex- 
pressible torments  for  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  the 
martyr,  bowing  forwards,  yielded  up  the  spirit,  dying  as 
quietly  as  a  child  in  his  bed."  He  was  indeed  strength- 
ened, in  answer  to  his  prayer,  the  concluding  words  of 
which  were  these,  "  And  well  seest  Thou,  my  Lord  and 
Godj  what  terrible  pains  and  cruel  torments  be  prepared 


60  TRUST. 

for  Thy  creature,  such,  Lord,  as,  without  Thy  strength, 
none  is  able  to  bear,  or  patiently  to  endure.  But  all 
things  that  are  impossible  with  man  are  possible  with 
Thee.  Therefore  strengthen  me  of  Thy  goodness,  that 
when  in  the  fire  I  break  not  the  rules  of  patience ;  or 
else  assuage  the  terror  of  the  pains,  as  shall  seem  most 
to  Thy  glory.^'  When  the  fire  was  kindled  upon  the 
martyr  Waid,  he  was  heard  to  exclaim,  "  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  soul."  And  he  continued  to  do  so  without 
impatience,  standing  still,  and  holding  up  his  hands, 
clasped  together,  above  his  head,  as  if  engaged  in  prayer, 
remaining  in  this  attitude  "  even  when  he  was  dead,  and 
altogether  roasted,  as  though  they  had  been  stayed  up 
with  a  prop  under  them."  The  account  of  Latimer  at 
the  stake  shews  us  how  the  bowed  down  frame  can  be 
strengthened  for  its  terrible  conflict.  We  are  told  that 
"  his  mortal  frame  becoming  invigorated  at  the  prospect 
of  the  near  approach  of  his  journey^s  end,  he  no  longer 
appeared  a  withered,  crooked  old  man,  his  body  crazed 
and  bending  under  the  weight  of  years,  but  he  stood 
upright,  as  comely  a  Father  as  one  would  desire  to 
behold."  The  case  of  Thomas  Hawkes,  who  suffered 
martyrdom  at  Coggeshall,  on  June  13th,  a.d.  1555, 
shews  us  how  God  can  enable  His  people  to  bear  pain, 
especially  for  Him.  Shortly  before  his  death,  some  of 
his  friends,  expecting  that  they  should  be  called  to  bear 
a  similar  testimony  to  the  truth,  requested  that  if  the 
pain  of  burning  were  tolerable,  so  that  it  could  be 
endured  with  patience,  he  would  give  them  a  sign  by 
lifting  up  his  hands  towards  heaven.  The  trying  hour 
arrived,  the  martyr  was  fastened  to  the  stake,  and  the 
fire  was  kindled.     His  friends  anxiously  watched  for  the 


TRUST.  61 

appointed  sign.  A  long  time  passed^  liis  skin  was 
shrivelled  up  by  the  flames_,  and  his  speech  taken  away_, 
so  that  all  thought  he  was  gone,  when  suddenly,  and 
contrary  to  all  expectation,  he  raised  up  his  hands, 
^^  burning  with  a  light  fire,  and  with  great  rejoicing,  as 
it  seemed,'^  struck  them  together  three  times.  At  this 
sign  of  his  stedfastness  in  the  faith,  the  people  shouted 
with  joy,  especially  his  friends.  The  martyr  then  sunk 
down  and  expired. 

And  yet  how  hard  the  struggle  may  be  in  itself  we  see 
from  the  cases  of  some  other  martyrs.  As  Rawlins 
White  was  led  to  the  stake,  he  saw  his  wife  and  children 
stand  weeping.  The  sight  of  those  who  were  near  and 
dear  to  him  moved  him.  ^^  Ah,  flesh  !  '^  exclaimed  he, 
smiting  his  breast,  "  wouldst  thou  hinder  me,  wouldst 
thou  fain  prevail?  By  God^s  grace,  thou  shalt  not  have 
the  victory."  While  the  smith  was  fastening  him  to  the 
stake,  he  said,  "  I  pray  you,  good  friend,  knock  in  the 
chain  fast,  for  it  may  be  the  flesh  will  strive  mightily ; 
but,  O  God,  of  Thy  great  mercy,  give  me  strength  and 
patience."  He  also  spoke  to  a  person  named  Dane,  who 
related  these  particulars,  saying  that  he  felt  a  great 
struggle  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  and  entreated, 
if  he  began  to  waver,  he  would  hold  up  his  finger,  "  and 
then,"  said  he  "I  trust  I  shall  remember  myself."  The 
conflict  between  the  spirit  and  the  flesh  are  graphically 
pourtrayed  in  the  case  of  George  Tankerfield,  who  was 
burned  at  St.  Alban's,  on  August  25th,  a.  d.  1555. 
^^  Being  taken  to  an  inn,  many  persons  came  to  see  him, 
some  to  dispute  with  and  revile  him,  while  others  praised 
God  for  his  constancy.  Sitting  down  before  a  fire,  he 
pulled  off"  his  shoes  and  hose,  and  stretched  his  leg  out  to 


62  TRUST. 

the  flame^  but  quicldy  withdrew  it  on  feeling  tlie  pain. 
He  tlien  shewed  to  those  who  stood  by,  how  the  flesh 
persuaded  him  one  way,  and  the  spirit  another.  "  The 
flesh  saith,  *^0  fool,  wilt  thon  burn  and  needest  not?^ 
The  spirit  saith,  ^Be  not  afraid,  for  this  is  nothing, 
compared  with  eternal  fire.^  The  flesh  saith,  '^Do  not 
leave  the  company  of  thy  friends  and  acquaintance, 
which  love  thee,  and  will  let  thee  want  nothing/  The 
spuit  saith,  'The  company  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  His 
glorious  presence,  doth  exceed  all  earthly  friends.^  The 
flesh  saith  'Do  not  shorten  thy  time,  for  if  thou  wilt, 
thou  mayest  live  much  longer.^  The  spirit  saith,  'This 
life  is  nothing  compared  with  the  life  in  heaven,  which 
lasteth  for  ever,^ "  &c. 

What  a  strength,  what  a  support  would  it  be,  if,  while 
enduring  pain,  we  could  fix  our  mind  wholly  upon  God, 
in  Christ ;  if  we  spake  to  Him ;  if  we  said  some  such 
short  sentences  as  these  : — "  O  Lord,  help  me  to  bear 
this,  as  one  of  Thy  children  should."  "O  Lord,  I 
would  glorify  Thee  in  this  pain."  "  O  Lord,  undergird 
me,  that  I  may  be  able  to  endure."  "  O  my  Father,  not 
my  will,  but  Thine  be  done."  "  O  Jesus,  I  would  bear 
it  as  unto  Thee,  who  didst  bear  such  pain  for  me." 
And  while  thus  talking  to  God,  much,  perhaps,  of  the 
bitterness  of  the  pain  will  be  past ;  its  worst  spasms  will, 
perhaps,  be  tided  over ;  and  we  shall  have  the  inestimable 
pleasure  of  feeling,  that  we  have  glorified  God  in  the 
time  of  our  hardest  trial ;  that,  like  the  three  children, 
we  have  glorified  Him  in  the  fires,  and  walked  in  the 
glowing  furnace,  even  with  the  Son  of  man  Himself. 

Even  so,  O  Lord,  enable  us  to  do  this  !  Whenever 
our  trial  time  comes  on — when  we  have  to  endure — when 


TRUST.  63 

the  hour  of  suffering  is  come — be  thou  specially  at  hand, 
and  give  Thy  special  help  ! 

We  now  conclude  this  portion  of  our  subject.  May 
we  have  grace  to  turn  it  to  practical  account.  The  daily 
circumstances  of  life  will  afford  us  opportunities  enough 
of  glorifying  God  in  Trust,  without  our  waiting  for  any 
extraordinary  calls  upon  our  faith.  Let  us  remember 
that  the  extraordinary  circumstances  of  life  are  but  few ; 
that  mucb  of  life  may  slip  past  without  their  occurrence ; 
and  that  if  we  be  not  faithful  and  trusting  in  that  which 
is  little,  we  are  not  likely  to  be  so  in  that  which  is  great. 
The  same  spirit  which  animates  the  martyr  at  the  stake, 
enabling  him  to  glorify  G  od  amid  the  fires,  may  be  evinced 
in  the  way  in  which  a  little  pain  is  endured,  or  reproach  is 
borne ;  the  same  calm  Trust  which  enables  the  believer  to 
rest  peacefully  on  God,  in  the  little  affairs  of  daily  life, 
is  nothing  but  the  exercise,  within  a  narrow  circle,  of  a 
grace,  which,  if  called  upon  to  move  in  a  wider  sphere, 
would  keep  the  heart  in  peace,  amid  the  overturning  of 
dynasties,  and  the  wreck  of  thrones.  Let  our  trust  be 
reared  in  the  humble  nursery  of  our  own  daily  experience, 
with  its  ever  recurring  little  wants,  and  trials,  and 
sorrows ;  and  then,  when  need  be,  it  will  come  forth,  to 
do  such  great  things  as  are  required  of  it ;  even  as  Moses 
came  forth  from  the  wilderness  to  deliver  a  whole  nation 
from  bondage  ;  and  David  came  from  his  solitary  sheep- 
watching  to  slay  the  giant,  who  had  defied  the  armies  of 
the  living  God. 


64 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  "I  Will"  of  Ministet  and  Testimony. 

Psalm  ix,  1.     "  I  ivill  shew  forth  Thy  marvellous  tvorks" 
Psalm  xxii,  22.     "  I  ivill  declare  Thy  name  unto  my  brethren" 
Psalm  li,  13.     "  Then  tvill  I  teach  transgressors  Thy  ivays,  and 

sinners  shall  he  converted  unto  Thee." 

Psalm  Ixxxix,  1.     "  With  my  mouth  will  I  mahe  known  Thy 

faithfulness  to  all  generations." 

Psalm  cxlv,  5.     ^^  I  will  s^eah  of  the  glorious  honour  of  Thy 

majesty." 

WE  have,  in  these  verses,  the  determinations  of  the 
man  of  God,  with  reference  to  Ministry  and 
Testimony.  This  subject  of  Ministry  and  Testimony 
is  one  well  worth  onr  consideration  in  the  present  day ; 
for  to  the  great  loss  of  the  church  at  large,  and  also  of 
individual  believers,  it  is  but  little  recognised. 

The  particulars  to  which  the  reader^ s  attention  is 
solicited  are  these : — the  fact  that  ^the  Lord^s  people  are 
called  to  Ministry  and  Testimony/  also,  that  *^  this  is  not 
generally  recognised  in  the  present  day ; '  further,  '  the 
present  aspect  of  the  church  of  God  in  this  particular ; ' 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  65 

and  ''the  loss  whicli  is  tlms  entailed  upon  the  world, 
upon  the  church,  and  upon  individual  believers/ 

There  are  some  who  may,  perhaps,  meet  us  at  the  very- 
outset  with  a  denial  of  their  being  called  to  exercise  any 
ministry,  to  give  any  testimony  in  the  world  for  God. 
They  have  learned  the  fundamental  principles  of  the 
Christian  faith ;  they  have  had  some  knowledge  of  the 
sinfulness  of  their  own  hearts;  they  believe  that  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  alone  can  cleanse  them  from  their 
sin ;  and  being  sound  in  faith,  they  do  not  see  that  they 
are  called  upon  to  be  active  in  life.  It  may  be  that  such 
persons  are  of  a  contemplative  turn  of  mind;  or  still 
more  probably,  naturally  of  an  inactive  disposition ;  but 
from  whatever  cause,  so  it  is,  that  the  world  is  little  the 
better  for  their  Christianity ;  and  assuredly  we  might  say 
to  them,  "  We  have  not  so  learned  Christ.'' 

Selfishness  and  sloth  are,  to  the  eyes  of  the  great  and 
heart-searching  God,  too  plainly  marked  blemishes  of  His 
church,  and  people  upon  earth.  It  is  true,  there  never 
was  more  noise  made  in  the  world  about  religion,  than 
there  is  now ;  never  was  there  a  time,  when  men  could 
talk  louder  about  their  respective  views ;  or  pronounce 
more  distinctly  the  shibboleths  of  their  respective  parties ; 
and  never  was  there  a  time,  when  there  seemed  more 
outward  activity  in  schools,  reformatories,  charitable 
societies,  and  such  like  agencies  for  good ;  but  the  great 
energies  of  the  church  of  God  have  not  been  put  forth ; 
the  inward  might  of  an  active  faith  has  not  been  fully 
roused ;  what  has  been  done,  has  been  for  the  most  part 
done  by  a  few ;  and  while  we  acknowledge  thankfully, 
that  there  has  been  a  blessing  fally  proportioned  to  the 
efforts  made,  we  cannot  but  perceive  that  the  reason  why 

G  2 


66  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

there  has  not  been  more  blessings  is  because  the  efforts 
have  been  so  small. 

What  department  is  there  of  Christian  iabonr,  that  is 
being  worked  with  the  full  energies  of  the  church  of 
God?  What  parish,  or  district_,  what  institution^,  or 
society,  what  family  circle,  is  receiving  the  impulses  of 
Christian  ministry  in  its  highest  efforts,  its  very  fullest 
powers  ?  We  look  around  in  vain ;  and  were  it  not,  that 
in  the  munificence  of  God,  single  grains  are  made  to 
bring  forth  many  more  than  themselves,  the  reaping  would 
be  even  as  the  sowing,  scant  and  miserable  indeed. 

Our  readers  will  here  remember  that  we  are  speaking 
of  the  people  of  God;  this  fault  lies  in  unnumbered 
instances  at  their  door ;  and  they  cannot  allow  themselves 
in  this  fault  without  suffering  loss.  The  loss  which  they 
shall  suffer  does  not  touch  their  eternal  life,  for  '^'^he  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life ; "  but  it  does 
touch  and  affect  the  measure  of  their  future  reward. 
That  glory  should  be  given  at  all,  is  of  free  grace,  but 
the  measure  of  that  glory  shall  be  ^^according  to  works." 
We  cannot  fail  in  ministry,  and  testimony,  without 
suffering  loss.  '^  Therefore  my  beloved  brethren,"  says 
St.  Paul  in  1  Cor.  xv,  58,  "  be  ye  stedfast,  unmoveable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord;  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 
"  Ye,"  says  St.  Peter,  1  Pet.  ii,  9,  "  are  a  chosen  gener- 
ation, a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people,  that  ye  should  shew  forth  the  praises  of  Him, 
who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  His  marvellous 
light."  Here  the  apostles  are  speaking  to  true  believers 
— to  you,  dear  reader,  if  you  have  embraced  Christ; 
your  life  is  claimed  on  the  ground  of  having  been  called 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY.  67 

^'^  out  of  darkness  into  light  ;^^  and  that  life's  labour  is 
made  sweet  by  the  blessed  truths  that  it  "  is  not  in  vain 
in  the  Lord." 

But  now,  let  us  proceed  to  take  in  order  three,  out  of 
the  many  losers,  by  the  sloth  of  God's  people,  in  this 
matter  of  Ministry  and  Testimony.     They  are 
I.     The  Christian  himself. 
II.     The  Church  of  God. 

III.     The  world  at  large. 

It  may  be,  that  a  contemplation  of  all  this  loss  will 
stir  you,  dear  reader,  on  to  work ! 

The  child  of  God  is  a  loser  here,  and  certainly  here- 
after also.  Is  it  not  a  sweet  and  blessed  feeling,  when 
we  are  able  to  render  daily  service  to  the  one  we  love? 
We  feel  pleasure  in  being  able  to  tell  of  our  love ;  in 
being  able  to  act  it ;  in  shewing  it  in  the  unnumbered 
little  opportunities,  which  continually  present  themselves 
in  daily  life.  If  love  can  proclaim  its  depth  in  some 
great  deed,  it  can  whisper  of  it,  in  all  the  lesser  deeds, 
which  make  up  the  sum  of  daily  life.  A  little  deed,  like 
a  gentle  whisper,  may  tell  much.  We  can  imagine  no 
greater  blow  to  genuine  love,  than  such  a  saying  as  this, 
^^You  may  feel  love,  you  may  rejoice  in  it,  you  may 
nurse  it  in  your  bosom,  but  you  must  never  shew  it:^ 
How  could  our  human  love  bear  such  a  restraint  as  this  ? 
How  could  we  bear  to  feel  it  ever  coming  to  our  lips,  and 
yet  those  lips  never  to  be  permitted  to  utter  a  word  about 
it  ?  How  could  we  bear  to  feel  it  ever  welling  upward 
from  the  heart  to  the  eye,  while  that  eye  was  not  permit- 
ted to  beam  with  one  loving  look,  but  was  compelled  to 
imprison,  as  with  an  impassable  barrier  of  clear  thick  ice, 
the  warm  springs  beneath  ?    To  be  placed  hi  such  circum- 


68  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

stances^  amongst  those  we  love  here  below,  would  be  bell 
on  earth,  and  the  punishment,  proving  too  severe  for 
mortal  frames,  would  wear  us  out.  And  if  we  be  lovers 
of  Christ,  if  we  feel  that  we  owe  all  to  Him,  if  He  have 
our  hearts,  how  does  it  come  to  pass,  that  we  do  not  come 
forth  in  ministry  for  Him  ?  and  not  only  for  Him,  but 
to  Him,  for  all  that  is  for  Him  is  to  Him  also  ?  The 
woman  that  brake  the  alabaster  box  of  ointment  loved 
much,  and  she  anointed  the  way-worn  feet  of  Jesus,  with 
all  that  she  had  most  precious ;  and  in  most  touching 
personal  service,  she  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her 
head.  Her  love  would  have  her  best  bestowed  upon  her 
Lord ;  she  ministered  to  Him  of  her  substance,  and  of 
her  energies ;  alas  !  how  many  of  ns  are  deficient  in  our 
ministry,  with  both  of  these.  In  Mary's  case  there  was 
indeed  a  personal  ministry,  a  ministry  of  self.  We  are 
told  that  ^^  she  wiped  His  feet  with  her  hair."  A  woman's 
hair  is  her  glory,  the  greatest  adornment  of  beauty  which 
she  has  received  from  God,  that  about  which  she  gene- 
rally takes  the  most  care  in  the  attiring  of  her  person ; 
and  here  we  have  this  loving  woman  giving  that  which  is 
her  greatest  adornment  to  perform  a  menial  office  for 
Christ.  "  She  wiped  His  feet  with  her  hair.''  The  feet 
which  had  been  soiled  by  travel — the  feet  which  bare  the 
marks  of  His  journejdngs  to  and  fro,  of  houseless 
wanderings  for  man's  salvation;  these,  though  they 
were  the  least  honourable  portion  of  His  person,  were 
the  objects  of  her  care;  she  pom-ed  the  ointment  on 
His  head  and  feet,  but  she  wiped  also  His  feet  with  her 
hair.  And  herein  she  was  not  left  without  honour,  for 
was  ever  any  head  so  distinguished  as  that  which  bare 
away  a  part  of  what  had  anointed  Christ?     I  would 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  69 

rather  have  had  that  ointment  than  the  pearly  wreath  or 
jewelled  crown;  that  ointment  than  the  warrior^ s  helmet 
or  the  victor's  lanrel;  the  glory  of  the  diadem  is  for 
time^  bat  the  glory  of  an  honour  like  this  is  for  eternity ; 
the  crested  helm  of  the  warrior  is  struck  down  in  battle, 
but  the  strongest  amongst  the  evil  ones  could  not  tear 
from  this  disciple  the  glory  of  this  deed ;  the  chaplet  of 
the  victor  fades,  and  his  very  name  becomes  erased  from 
the  annals  of  human  fame,  but  the  halo  of  this  woman's 
love  shall  never  perish,  and  perhaps  in  her  resurrection 
body  it  shall  be  seen,  for  peculiar  love  has  its  own 
peculiar  rewards,  and  it  may  be  that  men  shall  be  re- 
warded, not  only  according  to  the  value j  but  also  according 
to  the  manner  of  their  deeds. 

But  what  does  this  truth  teach  us  ?  what,  save  that 
the  very  best  we  have  should  be  ungrudgingly  applied  by 
love  to  do  even  the  most  menial  deed  for  Christ.  And 
oh  !  that  we  may  have  greater  grace  from  heaven,  never 
to  think  anything  of  Christ's  too  lowly  for  our  care, 
anything  of  ours  too  good  for  His  lowly  work.  Nothing 
is  lowly  that  belongs  to  Him  except  His  character; 
everything  becomes  dignified  from  the  fact  of  its  being 
connected  with  Him,  the  least  service  that  is  for  Him  is 
greater  than  the  greatest  that  is  for  the  earth,  for  He  is 
not  only  the  Son  of  God,  but  He  is  our  Lord,  our 
husband,  and  our  king.  If  it  be  in  itself  a  wearisome 
task  to  teach  a  dull  and  wayward  child,  let  us  bear  in 
mind  that  we  are  teaching  it  for  Him,  and  then  we  are 
invested  with  more  honour  than  if  we  were  training  the 
noblest  genius  to  become  a  foremost  man  in  the  ranks 
of  intellectual  but  unsanctified  knowledge, — knowledge 
which  is  of  the  world  and  for  it,  and  never  goes  beyond. 


/U  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

If  it  be  in  itself  great  weariness  in  the  flesli  to  climb  the 
dmost  unending  stairs^  and  keep  vigils  in  the  sick 
chamber  during  long  and  silent  hours^  to  listen  at  times 
to  almost  unending  complaints^  to  plod  along  an  un- 
varying round  of  duty  for  which  there  is  little  earthly 
thank;  now  set  Christy  dear  reader,  between  you  and 
all  your  earthly  toils,,  let  them  be  for  Him,  then  these 
toils  become  a  burden  that  is  light,  and  these  trials  a 
glory  which  it  is  our  privilege  to  be  allowed  to  bear. 
Think  it  no  small  thing  to  do  what  might  be  called  little 
deeds  for  Christ;  it  was  Jesu's  feet  that  Mary  wiped 
with  her  hair. 

Let  us  not  forget  that  Mary  bare  away  with  her  in 
her  hair  a  portion  of  the  perfumed  ointment  which  had 
been  poured  upon  the  head  of  Christ ;  she  did  not  seek 
it,  she  did  not  immediately  intend  it;  but  it  clave  to 
her,  and  what  had  been  bestowed  upon  her  Lord  thus  in 
part  returns  to  her  again.  Thus  has  it  ever  been ;  there 
is  always,  as  is  stated  below,  a  reflex  benefit  of  action  for 
God ;  we  cannot  minister  to  Christ  without  being  bene- 
fited ourselves,  the  honour  which  we  bestow  on  Him, 
will  cleave  of  necessity  to  us.  In  the  very  substance 
with  which  Mary  perfumed  the  feet  of  Jesus,  was  she 
perfumed  in  her  own  hair;  she  could  thus  only  wipe  His 
feet,  but  while  she  was  doing  so.  He  all  silently  and 
imperceptibly  could  anoint  her  head.  And  has  Jesus 
been  ever  blest  without  blessing  in  turn  again?  No 
doubt  the  world  has  not  seen  Him  acting,  even  as  no 
one  at  this  feast  saw  Him  do  this,  the  blessing  was 
between  Himself  and  Mary,  our  blessing  shaU  be  between 
Jesus  and  ourselves;  it  is  a  law  of  Christ's  kingdom 
that  whosoever  spends  on  Je?us,  on  him  will  Jesus  spend 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  71 

agaiiij  restoring  him  all  that  he  has  given^  hallowed  by 
the  holy  contact  into  which  it  has  come.  Beloved^  let 
us  try  our  love_,  let  us  probe  deep  into  it^  let  us  examine 
itj  let  us  judge  it  by  its  fruits;  and  if  we  be  in  no 
ministry_,  if  we  be  giving  no  testimony,  let  us  ask 
ourselves  ^^how  comes  this  to  pass?^' 

There  is  another  aspect  in  which  this  matter  is  to  be 
viewed.  "VYhen  there  is  a  lack  of  real  ministry  and 
testimony,  we  ourselves  must  suffer  loss.  That  which  we 
lose  is_,  ''  the  reflex  benefit  of  action  for  God.''  It  is 
impossible  for  any  man  to  exercise  himself  in  action  for 
God,  without  receiving  a  reflex  benefit  upon  his  own  soul. 
The  rule  of  the  spiritual  kingdom  is,  that  he  who  waters 
others  shall  be  watered  also  himself.  God  will  be  no 
man^s  debtor,  and  as  the  heavens  send  down  again  in 
showers,  the  moisture  which  is  attracted  into  them  from 
the  earth,  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  so  God  sends  down  as 
blessings  upon  His  people,  the  results  of  those  very 
energies,  which  He  had  drawn  forth  from  them,  and 
attracted  upwards  to  Himself.  Never  did  man  do  aught 
for  God,  but  that  He  in  His  own  way  paid  him  back 
again.  We  cannot  go  forth  in  any  real  ministry  and 
testimony  for  Him,  without  receiving  a  blessing  ourselves. 

Here,  however,  our  reader  might  say,  "This  is  not 
altogether  borne  out  by  my  experience;  I  have  been 
engaged  in  such  and  such  acts  of  ministry,  I  have  given 
such  and  such  testimony ;  but  I  do  not  see  how  I  myself 
have  been  the  better  for  it,  or  what  particular  blessing  I 
have  had  in  so  doing .^^  ^ 

*  A  touching  instance  of  the  reflex  benefit  of  an  act  of  ministry 
is  given  by  D'Aubigne  in  his  history  of  the  Reformation.  "  When 
Lather  had  returned  to  his  hotel  (after  having  appeared  before 


7)1  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

Let  lis  first  enquire :  what  was  our  motive  in  ministry 
and  testimony  ?  had  you  any  motive  at  all  ?  Motives  are 
all  important  in  tlie  spiritual  life_,  and  especially  in  work 
for  God.  We  can  imagine  a  person  in  tolerably  active 
ministry,,  and  giving  pretty  decided  testimony,  without 
any  motive  at  all.  Suppose  a  person  to  be  thrown  into 
what  is  commonly  called  ^^  religious  society  ;^^  he  may 
fall  into  a  certain  habit  of  acting  from  routine,  and  into 
a  certain  formula  of  speaking,  without  really  living  and 
speaking  to  God  at  all.     Just  as  the  cameleon  takes  the 

the  Ernperor  in  the  Diet  of  Worms)  seeking  to  recruit  his  body, 
fatigued  by  so  severe  a  trial,  Spalatin  and  other  friends  surrounded 
him,  and  all  together  gave  thanks  to  God.  As  they  were  con- 
versing, a  servant  entered,  bearing  a  silver  flagon  filled  with 
Eimbeck  beer,  *  My  master,'  said  he,  as  he  offered  it  to  Luther, 
*  invites  you  to  refresh  yourself  with  this  draught.'  *  Who  is  the 
prince,'  said  the  Wittemburgh  doctor,  '  who  so  graciously  remem- 
bers me  ? '  It  was  the  aged  Duke  Eric  of  Brunswick..  The  reformer 
was  affected  by  this  present  from  so  powerful  a  lord,  belonging  to 
the  Pope's  party.  *  His  Highness,'  continued  the  servant,,  'has 
condescended  to  taste  it  before  sending  it  to  you.'  Upon  this 
Luther,  who  was  thirsty,  poured  out  some  of  the  Duke's  beer,, 
and  after  drinking  it,  he  said :  '  as  this  day  Duke  Eric  has  remem- 
bered me,  so  may  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  remember  him  in  the  hour 
of  his  last  struggle.'  It  was  a  present  of  trifling  value;;  but; 
Luther  desirous  of  shewing  his  gratitude  to  a  prince  who  remem- 
bered him  at  such  a  moment,  gave  him  such  as  he  had — a  prayer. 
The  servant  returned  with  this  message  to  his  master.  At  the 
moment  of  his  death,  the  aged  Duke  called  these  words  to  mind, 
and  addressing  a  young  page,  Francis  of  Kramm,  who  was  stand- 
ing at  his  bedside,  *  take  the  Bible,'  said  he,  *  and  read  it  to  me.' 
The  child  read  these  words  of  Christ,  and  the  soul  of  the  dying 
man  was  comforted.  *  Whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to 
drink  in  my  name^  because  ye  belong  to,  Qhrist,  verily  T  say  unto 
you,  he  shall  not  lose  his  rewardy^ 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY.  73 

colour  of  surrounding  objects,,  or  as  man  drops  naturally 
more  or  less  into  the  habits  of  the  climate  in  which  he 
lives,  so  we  are  often  influenced  by  the  religious  society 
in  which  we  are  cast.  Under  these  circumstances,  very 
little  passes  between  God  and  the  soul;  we  become 
pieces  of  spiritual  machinery,  we  miss  the  connecting 
link  through  which  blessing  should  have  come.  The 
minister  of  the  gospel,  the  visitor  of  the  sick,  the  teacher 
in  the  Sunday  school,  may  one  and  all  be  at  work,  but 
not  at  work  to  God.  That  which  we  must  be  careful 
about,  above  all  other  things  in  ministry,  is  to  do  it  to 
God  :  to  let  our  ministry  first  be  laid  before  Him ;  and 
then,  having  been  consecrated,  and  having  been  made 
powerful  by  Him,  to  let  it  work  amongst  our  fellow  men. 
Our  bow  of  service  should  arch  from  earth  to  heaven, 
and  then  back  to  earth  again.  Let  our  ministry  pass 
through  the  hands  of  Christ,  as  did  the  bread  wherewith 
He  fed  the  five  thousand ;  and  then,  poor  though  the 
provision  may  be,  which  we  have  in  ourselves,  it  will  not 
only  do  wonders,  but  come  unexhausted  out  of  an  effort, 
in  which,  humanly  speaking,  it  might  have  been  spent. 
In  all  our  work  for  God,  let  us  have  Him  distinctly 
before  us ;  let  us  say,  "  It  is  for  Thee,  O  Father,  it  is  for 
Thee,  and  for  Jesus,  and  the  Spirit :''  and  this  distinctness 
of  purpose  will  not  be  without  its  reward ;  for  a  new 
strength  will  thus  enter  into  our  efforts ;  God  will  be  in 
them;  we  shall  feel  His  pervading  presence  in  them; 
and  we  shall  be  spared  that  faint-heartedness,  which 
otherwise  might  have  come  upon  us,  and  neutralized  the 
effort  we  were  about  to  make. 

The  realization  of  the  presence  of  God  is  beautifully 
brought  before  us  in  the  prayer  of  Teava  one  of  the 

H 


74  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

Rarotongan  converts  in  the  South  Sea.  No  sooner  had 
the  Rarotongans  felt  the  power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ 
themselves,  than  they  earnestly  desired  to  take  the  boon 
to  the  islands  of  the  Samoan  group.  In  making  known 
his  desire  to  go  as  a  Christian  evangelist  to  the  savage 
tribes  of  Samoa,  Teava  wrote: —  '^Mj  desire  to  fulfil 
Christ's  command  is  very  great :  He  said  to  his  disciples, 
'  Go  ye  into  all  the  world.'  My  heart  is  compassionating 
the  heathen,  who  know  not  the  salvation  which  God  has 
provided  for  the  world.  Let  me  go  to  those  savages. 
Why  is  the  delay  ?  May  God  direct  us,  but  my  desire 
for  this  work  is  very  great.''  This  good  man's  desire 
was  fulfilled ;  he  was  taken  to  Samoa,  he  landed  in  the 
midst  of  its  savage  population ;  he  gained  a  position  at 
Monono,  an  influential  station,  and,  besides  being  one  of 
the  most  intelligent  and  consistent  pioneers  to  the 
European  missionaries  there,  he  has  been  for  many  years 
one  of  their  best  native  assistants  in  translating,  in 
schools,  and  in  the  general  work  of  the  station. 

A  part  of  a  prayer  of  this  excellent  teacher  has  been 
recorded  by  Mr.  Williams,  which  he  offered  to  God,  on 
board  ship,  on  his  passage  to   Samoa,  which  shews  the 

realization  of  God  in  effort  in  ministry.     " if  we  fly 

to  heaven,"  said  the  good  man,  addressing  God,  "  there 
we  shall  find  Thee;  if  we  dwell  upon  the  land.  Thou  art 
there  also ;  if  we  sail  on  the  sea.  Thou  art  there ;  and 
this  affords  us  comfort,  so  that  we  sail  upon  the  ocean 
without  fear,  because  Thou,  O  God,  art  in  our  ship." 

"  The  King  of  our  bodies  has  his  subjects,  to  whom 
he  issues  his  orders,  but  if  he  himself  goes  with  them, 
his  presence  stimulates  their  zeal;  they  work  with 
energy^  they  do  it  soon^  they  do  it  well.     O  Lord^  Thou 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  75 

art  the  King  of  our  spirits ;  Thou  hast  issued  orders  to 
Thy  subjects  to  do  a  great  work;  Thou  hast  commanded 
them  to  go  into  all  the  world_,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.  We^  O  Lord,,  are  going  upon  that  errand, 
and  let  Thy  presence  go  with  us  to  quicken  us,  and 
enable  us  to  persevere  in  the  great  work  until  we  die. 

*'  Thou  hast  said  that  Thy  presence  shall  go  with  Thy 
people  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Fulfil,  O  Lord,  to 
us  this  cheering  promise.  I  see,  O  Lord,  a  compass 
in  this  vessel  by  which  the  seamen  steer  the  right  course, 
that  we  may  escape  obstruction  and  danger.  Be  to  us, 
O  Lord,  the  compass  of  salvation.^^  ^ 

Let  us  remember  also,  to  look  beyond  this  world. 
Here  our  ministry  and  testimony  may  seem  to  be  able  to 
do  but  little,  perhaps  not  to  accomplish  anything  at  all  ; 
and  because  we  can  trace  no  results,  we  may  see  no  use 
in  our  going  on ;  but  hereafter  there  are  to  be  diversities 
of  reward;  and  if  we  stand  not  in  testimony,  we  shall 
lose  glory  and  position;  the  positive,  the  enduring 
property  of  the  other  life. 

Here  let  us  say  a  word  or  two  upon  the  positions,  in 
which  ministry  is  to  be  carried  on.  God  has  placed 
every  one  of  us  in  a  position;  He  has  ordered,  and 
measured,  the  diameter  of  our  circle ;  He  has  given  us 
our  sphere;  He  has  a  record  of  all  the  opportunities 
which  that  sphere  affords;  and  we  shall  be  reckoned 
with,  not  concerning  matters  beyond  our  sphere,  but 
concerning  all  matters  within  our  sphere. 

Let  us  take  as  an  illustration,  the  case  of  the  mother 
of  a  family.  The  cares  of  a  family  are  numerous  and 
heavy;  and  there  are  many  instances,  in  which  it  is 
*  Gems  from  the  Coral  Islands 


76  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

impossible  for  a  mother,  and  head  of  a  house,  to  be 
engaged  in  much  external  ministry  for  God.  But  if  she 
be  willing  to  serve  Him,  she  need  not  be  disheartened. 
Is  not  home  a  little  world  in  itself,  and  is  not  she, 
either  for  good  or  evil,  the  grand  influence  of  home, 
much,  most  of  it  taking  its  tone  from  her?  Would 
that  Christian  mothers  recognised  more,  the  great 
opportunities  and  responsibilities  of  home  ministry ;  that 
they  saw  how  the  very  fact  of  their  influence  being  con- 
centrated, gave  it  force !  The  charge  of  gunpowder, 
which  occupies  but  a  little  space,  sends  the  shot  to  a  long 
distance ;  what  mother  can  tell,  how  far  her  concentrated 
influence  will  send  her  children,  in  the  career  of  holiness, 
and  usefulness  amongst  their  fellows.  There  is  ministry 
in  a  mother's  look.  It  has  re-appeared  in  after  life,  amid 
the  gleaming  eyes  which  burned  with  unhallowed  fires ; 
and  succoured  the  tempted  one  by  the  memory  of  its 
solemn,  soft,  and  holy  gaze.  There  is  ministry  in  a 
mother's  voice.  It  has  re-echoed,  after  many  years  in 
the  chambers  of  the  memory,  and  warned  in  deep 
mysterious  tones,  as  though  it  now  came  from  another 
world,  and  cheered,  and  soothed,  with  even  more  than 
the  power  it  possessed  in  earlier  days,  as  though  it  were 
privileged  to  speak  with  the  soft  melody  of  heaven. 
Yes!  there  is  ministry  even  in  a  mother's  touch;  and 
long  after  the  hand  from  which  it  came,  is  cold  in  the 
motionless  solitude  of  the  tomb,  its  impress  remains  in 
living  power.  A  mysterious  hand  from  the  invisible 
world  traced  the  sentence  of  Belteshazzar's  ruin;  this 
hand,  mysterious  and  invisible  also,  leaves  imprinted  on 
the  heart,  words  at  once  of  warning  and  of  lovC' — words 
of  most  powerful  warning,  because  words  of  love. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  '^^ 

"  When  I  was  a  little  boy/'  said  a  good  man^  ''*'  my 
mother  used  to  bid  me  kneel  beside  her,  and  place  her 
hand  upon  my  head,  while  she  prayed.  Ere  I  was  old 
enough  to  know  her  worth,  she  died,  and  I  was  left  too 
much  to  my  own  guidance.  Like  others  I  was  inclined 
to  evil  passions,  but  often  felt  myself  checked,  and,  as 
it  were,  drawn  back  by  a  soft  hand  upon  my  head. 
When  a  young  man,  I  travelled  in  foreign  lands,  and 
was  exposed  to  many  temptations.  But  when  I  would 
have  yielded,  that  same  hand  was  upon  my  head,  and  I 
was  saved.  I  seemed  to  feel  its  pressure,  as  in  the  days 
of  my  happy  infancy ;  and  sometimes  there  came  with  it 
a  solemn  voice,  saying,  ^  Do  not  this  great  wickedness, 
my  son,  nor  sin  against  God.' " 

Yes !  Christian  mothers,  God  requires  testimony  and 
ministry  from  you,  in  your  own  circles.  If  you  be 
limited  to  them,  by  Him,  He  will  accept  your  home 
ministry,  and  He  will  not  leave  you  without  a  reward. 
You  shall  act  upon  the  world,  from  the  recesses  of  your 
own  sanctified  home ;  the  ministry  which  you  carried  on 
for  God  upon  the  child  at  your  knee,  shall  have  a  place, 
not  in  the  annals  of  the  world  alone ;  your  sons  will 
perhaps  be  the  fathers  of  God-fearing,  and  God-praising 
families ;  they  will  perhaps  minister  in  the  public  service 
of  the  sanctuary;  they  will  salt  the  society  in  which 
they  move.  It  may  be,  that  your  daughters,  as  mothers, 
wiU  reproduce  your  influence,  the  circle  widening  with 
every  generation ;  and  thus  (provided  God  has  limited 
your  circle)  shall  you,  if  you  minister  in  it  for  Him, 
throw  forth  circles  ever  widening  more  and  more,  so  that 
you,  being  dead,  shall  speak,  and  live,  and  move  in 
influence,  long  after  you  have  departed  in  the  flesh. 

h2 


78  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

Are  there  not  cares_,  and  privations,  and  many  troubles 
to  be  borne^  from  time  to  time^  in  the  ministry  of  home  ? 
Are  there  not  self-denials  to  be  endured_,  and  exertions 
to  be  made  ?  There  are — for  all  such^  as  would  carry  on 
an  active  ministry  for  God ;  as  desire  to  do  something 
more  than  merely  drag  through,,  or  discharge  duties, 
which  they  cannot  well  jivoid. 

Thus  the  individual  suffers,  when  ministry  and  testi- 
mony are  neglected.  There  is  another  sufferer,  also,  i.e. 
the  Church  of  Christ.  That  church  must  suffer  injury, 
when  the  Lord^s  people  are  not  occupying  their  place ; 
for  as  in  the  human  body,  if  one  member  suffer,  all  the 
others  suffer  with  it,  so  in  the  church,  if  one  congrega- 
tion, or  one  individual  be  holding  back,  the  church,  as  a 
body,  suffers  loss. 

What  is  this  loss  ?  In  the  first  place,  the  church  of 
God  has  its  power  of  impression  diminished.  The  church 
is  made  up  of  individuals,  and  when  those  individuals  are 
feeble,  and  of  little  weight,  the  church  in  their  locality 
makes  a  corresponding  feeble  impression.  A  branch  of 
the  church  need  not  be  large,  to  do  great  things ;  where 
two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
there  is  He  in  the  midst  of  them.  The  church  of  early 
days  was  small  at  first ;  and  even  now,  some  very  small 
branches  of  the  church  are  making  great  impressions, 
and  doing  great  things ;  their  members  are  in  ministry ; 
and  here,  under  the  influence  of  the  Spuit,  lies  the  secret 
of  their  success. 

But  let  us  look  for  a  moment,  not  at  churches  great 
or  small,  but  at  individuals.  How  much  might  be 
accomplished,  by  the  efforts  of  even  isolated  individuals. 
The  man  who  determines  to  seize  opportunities  as  they 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY.  79 

are  presented  to  liim^  and  to  work  witli  humble  means, 
when  great  ones  are  not  entrusted  to  him,  may  do 
wonders  in  the  spiritual  world.  To  write  a  few  texts  on 
a  half  sheet  of  note  paper,  seems  but  a  poor  way  of  doing 
good,  yet  see  the  results  of  this  act  of  ministry  for  God. 
The  following  account  was  sent  recently  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Religious  Tract  Society  by  a  gentleman,  who  con- 
firms its  accuracy.     It  is  a  true  story  of  Lucknow. 

"^In  the  station  of ,  in  the  Upper  Provinces  of 

India,  I  was  one  morning  visiting  the  hospital  as  usual. 
As  I  entered  the  General  Hospital,  I  was  told  by  one  of 

the  men  that  a  young  man  of  the Regiment  was 

anxious  to  speak  to  me.  In  the  inner  ward  I  found, 
lying  on  his  chaepoy,  in  a  corner,  a  new  face,  and  walking 
up  to  him,  said,  ^  I  am  told  you  wish  to  see  me ;  I  do 
not  recollect  the  pleasure  of  having  seen  you  before.' 
'  No,'  he  said,  ^  I  have  never  seen  you,  yet  you  seem  no 
stranger,  for  I  have  often  heard  speak  of  you.'  I  asked 
him  if  he  was  ill  or  wounded.  '  I  am  ill,'  he  replied. 
He  went  on  to  say  that  he  had  just  come  down  from 
Cawnpore.  ^  Perhaps  you  would  like  me  to  tell  you  my 
history.  It  may  be  you  remember,  a  long  time  since, 
some  of  our  men  going  into  the  hospital  opposite,  as  you 
sat  reading  to  one  of  the  Highlanders.  There  were  some 
half-dozen  or  more  of  them ;  they  went  to  see  a  sick 
comrade.  You  went  up  presently  to  them,  and  told  them 
how  grateful  you  and  all  your  country-people  were  to 
your  noble  soldiers  for  so  readily  coming  to  protect  you 
all,  and  how  deeply  you  sympathized  with  them  in  the 
noble  cause  in  which  they  were  now  going  to  take  a 
share.  Then  you  talked  to  them  of  the  danger  which 
would  attend  them.     You  reminded  them  that  life  is  a 


80  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

battle-field  to  aU,  and  asked  them  if  they  were  soldiers 
of  Christ,  and  if  they  had  thought  of  the  probability  of 
their  falling  in  battle.  I  have  heard  all  about  that  long 
talk  you  had  with  the  men.  Then  you  gave  your  Bible 
to  one,  and  asked  him  to  read  a  passage.  He  chose  the 
twenty -third  Psalm,  and  you  prayed.  They  asked  you 
for  a  book  or  tract  to  remind  them  of  what  had  been 
said,  and  you  gave  all  you  had  in  your  bag.  But  for  one 
man  there  was  none.  They  were  to  start  that  afternoon, 
so  that  you  had  not  time  to  get  one.  But  you  went  to 
the  apothecary,  and  got  pen  and  paper  from  him.  When 
you  came  back,  you  gave  this  paper  to  him,  telling  him 
you  should  look  for  him  in  heaven.'  As  he  said  this,  the 
poor  fellow  pulled  out  from  the  breast  of  his  shirt  half  a 
sheet  of  note  paper,  on  which  I  recognised  my  writing, 
though  nearly  illegible  from  wear.  On  it  were  written 
the  1st,  7th,  10th,  14th,  15th,  and  17th  verses  of  the 
5th  Chapter  of  the  2nd  Corinthians,  and  that  hymn, 

*  How  sweet  tke  name  of  Jesus  sounds.' 

*^That  man,'  he  continued,  *^and  I  were  in  the  same 
company,  but  he  was  a  day  ahead  of  me.  We  met  in 
Cawnpore,  then  marched  on  with  the  rest  to  Lucknow. 

Whenever  we  halted,  the  first  thing did  was  to  take 

out  his  paper,  and  read  it  aloud  to  those  who  cared  to 
hear;  then  he  prayed  with  us.  As  we  marched  he  spoke 
much  of  his  old  father  and  mother,  and  only  brother,  and 
wished  he  could  see  them  once  more.  But  he  was  very, 
very  happy,  and  ready  to  go  '  home,'  if  God  saw  fit.  As 
we  neared  Lucknow  he  dwelt  much  on  eternity,  and  said 
to  me,  '  It  is  very  solemn  to  be  walking  into  death.  I 
shall   never   leave   this  ill-fated  city.'     We  had  many 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  81 

fights  standing  always  side  by  side.     I  am  an  orplian ;  I 

lost  my  parents  when  a  child,  and  was  brought  up  at 

school.     I  never  had  one  to  love  me,  and  life  was  indeed 

a  weary  burden ;  yet  beyond,  all  was  darker  still,  for  I 

knew  nothing  of  a  Saviour.     's  reading  and  words 

came  to  my  heart — he  was  so  kind  to  me,  and  always 

called  me  brother.     I  never  loved  till  I  had  him.     He 

had  found  Jesus,  and  led  me  to  love  Him  too.     I  cannot 

find  words  to  say  how  I  joyed,  when  at  last  I  felt  I  had 

a  Friend  above.     Oh !  I  never  shall  forget  my  joy  when 

I  first  understood  and  believed.     We  had  no  book,  only 

the  paper.     We  knew  it  off  by  heart,  and  I  don't  know 

which  of  us  loved  it  best.     At  last,  in  a  dreadful  fight  in 

one  of  the  gardens,  a  ball  struck in  the  chest. 

Words  cannot  say  my  grief  when  he  fell — the  only  one  I 

had  to  love  me.     I  knelt  by  him,  till  the  garden  was  left 

in  our  hands,  and  then  bore  him  to  the  doctors.     But  it 

was  too  late — ^life  was  almost  gone.     '  Dear /  he 

said  to  me,  ^  I  am  only  going  home  first.    We  have  loved 

to  talk  of  home  together  ;  donH  be  sorry  for  me,  for  Fm 

so  happy. 

*  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds.' 

Read  me  the  words  she  wrote.'  I  pulled  them  out  from 
his  bosom,  all  stained  with  his  blood,  as  you  see,  and 
repeated  them.  ^  Yes,'  he  said,  '  the  love  of  Christ  has 
constrained  us.     I  am   almost  home.     I'll  be  there  to 

welcome  you  and  her;   good-bye,  dear .'     And  he 

was  gone,  but  I  was  left.  Oh  !  it  was  so  very  bitter !  I 
knelt  by  him  and  prayed  I  might  soon  follow  him.  Then 
I  took  his  paper,  and  put  it  in  my  bosom,  where  it  has 
been  since.  I  and  some  of  our  men  buried  him  in  the 
garden.     I  have  gone  through  much  fighting  since,  and 


82  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

came  down  here  on  duty  witli  a  detachnient  yesterday. 
They  think  me  only  worn  with  exposure_,  and  tell  me  I 
shall  be  soon  well,  but  I  shall  never  see  the  sky  again. 
I  would  like  to  lie  by  his  side,  but  it .  cannot  be.'  Poor 
fellow  !  he  cried  long  and  bitterly.  I  could  not  speak, 
but  pressed  his  hand.  At  length  he  said,  ^So  you'll 
forgive  me  making  so  bold  in  speaking  to  you.  He 
often  spoke  of  you,  and  blessed  you  for  leading  him  to 
Jesus.  And  he  it  was  who  led  me  to  Jesus.  We  shall 
soon  be  together  again,  and  won't  we  welcome  you  when 
you  come  home?'  We  read  and  prayed  together.  He 
was  quite  calm  when  I  rose  from  my  knees.  He  was  too 
weak  to  raise  his  head  even  from  the  pillow,  but  was 
quite  peaceful  and  happy.  '  I  feel,'  he  §aid,  '  that  I 
shall  not  be  able  to  think  much  longer;  I  have  seen 
such  frightful  things.  Thank  God!  I  have  sure  and 
blessed  hope  in  my  death.     I  have  seen  so  many  die  in 

fearful  terror.'     I  turned  to  go.     He  said,    *  Dear , 

when  I  am  gone,  promise  me  this  paper  shall  be  put  in 
my  coffin.  It  gave  me  a  friend  on  earth,  who  led  me  to 
a  Saviour  in  heaven.'  I  promised.  Next  morning  I 
went  to  see  him,  but  oh,  how  sadly  altered  did  I  find  him? 
Those  soft  browii  eyes  were  glassy  and  lustreless.  He 
was  never  to  know  me  again.  Dysentery  in  its  fearful 
rapid  form  had  seized  him  during  the  night.  I  took  his 
hand  in  mine;  it  was  clammy  and  powerless.  Three  of 
the  men  in  the  ward  came  up  to  me,  and  said,  ^  Till 
sense  left  him,  he  was  talking  of  home  with  Jesus.' 
They  knelt  with  me  in  prayer  beside  the  poor  sufferer. 
I  went  again  the  next  day  His  body  was  still  there, 
but  his  spirit  had  fled  a  few  minutes  previous.  He  was 
covered  with  a  blanket,  and  the  coolies  were  waiting  to 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  83 

bear  liim  away.  I  took  Ms  paper  from  his  pillow,  where 
it  had  been  laicl_,  and  went  to  the  apothecary,  We  walked 
back  to  the  corpse,  and  he  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
departed.  He  was  buried  that  evening.  I  have  often 
thought  since,  how  beautiful  was  that  heavenly  love 
which  bound  those  two  dear  young  soldiers  together. 
How  it  sweetened  their  last  days  on  earth.  They  were 
indeed  friends  in  Jesus,  and  though  their  remains  lie 
parted,  yet  they  are  both  sleeping  in  Jesus.  Oh,  what  a 
glorious  resurrection  theirs  will  be  in  the  day  of  His 
appearing ! " 

It  seemed  but  a  poor  opportunity  for  usefulness,  when 
on  ascending  the  pulpit,  a  minister  found  his  congregation 
to  consist  of  a  solitary  individual.  Such  was  the  case 
on  one  occasion  when  Dr,  Beecher,  of  Cincinnati,  was 
about  to  preach.  The  Doctor  once  engaged  to  preach  for 
a  country  minister,  on  exchange ;  and  the  Sunday  proved 
to  be  excessively  stormy,  cold,  and  uncomfortable.  It 
was  midwinter,  and  the  snow  was  piled  in  heaps  all  along 
the  roads,  so  as  to  make  the  passage  very  difficult.  Still 
the  minister  urged  his  horse  through  the  drifts,  till  he 
reached  the  church,  put  the  animal  into  a  shed,  and  went 
in.  As  yet,  there  was  no  person  present ;  and  after  look* 
ing  about,  the  old  gentleman,  then  young,  took  his  seat 
in  the  pulpit.  Soon  the  door  opened,  and  a  single 
individual  walked  up  the  aisle,  looked  about,  and  took  a 
seat.  The  hour  came  for  commencing  service,  but  no 
more  hearers.  Whether  to  preach  to  such  an  audience 
or  not,  was  now  the  question;  and  it  was  one  that  Lyman 
Beecher  was  not  long  in  deciding.  He  felt  that  he  had 
a  duty  to  perform,  and  he  had  no  right  to  refuse  to  do  it, 
because  only  one  man  could  reap  the  benefit  of  it ;  and. 


84  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

accordingly,  he  went  through  all  the  services,  praying, 
singing,  preaching,  and  pronouncing  the  benediction,  with 
only  one  hearer.  And,  when  all  was  over,  he  hastened 
down  from  his  desk,  to  speak  to  his  ''  congregation,"  but 
he  had  departed.  A  circumstance  so  rare  was  referred 
to  occasionally ;  but  twenty  years  after  it  was  brought  to 
the  Doctor^s  mind  quite  strangely.  Travelling  somewhere 
in  Ohio,  the  Doctor  alighted  from  the  stage,  one  day,  in 
a  pleasant  village,  when  a  gentleman  stepped  up,  and, 
spoke  to  him  familiarly,  calling  him  by  name.  ''  I  do  not 
remember  you,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  I  suppose  not,"  said 
the  stranger,  ^'  but  we  spent  two  hours  alone  once  in  a 
house,  in  a  storm."  "  I  do  not  recall  it,  Sir,"  said  the 
old  man,  "pray  when  was  it?"  '^^Do  you  remember 
preaching,  twenty  years  ago,  in  such  a  place,  to  a  single 
person?"  "Yes,  yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  grasping  his 
hand,  "  I  do  indeed ;  and  if  you  are  the  man,  I  have  been 
wishing  to  see  you  ever  since."  "I  am  the  man.  Sir, 
and  that  sermon  saved  my  soul,  made  a  minister  of  me, 
and  yonder  is  my  church.  The  converts  of  that  sermon. 
Sir,  are  all  over  Ohio." 

If  we  cannot  do  what  we  would,  let  us  do  what  we  can, 
such  is  the  true  spirit  of  ministry ;  and  he  who  has  this 
spirit  will  ever  find  that  he  will  have  as  much  as  ever  he 
can  do.  The  German  colporteur  in  Pennsylvania  did 
what  he  could  in  dropping  his  few  tracts,  and  in  years 
after,  they  made  room  for  his  books.    This  is  his  story : — 

"I  revisited  the  neighbourhood  where,  in  1852,  I 
commenced  my  colporteur  labours,  and  where,  on  being 
refused  permission  to  stop  at  a  house  over  night,  I  had 
left  a  few  tracts  as  I  went  away,  hoping  for  the  blessing 
of  God  upon  them.     I  now  called  at  the  same  house,  and 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY.  85 

found  the  man  reading  the  Testament.    In  looking  around 
the  room^  I  saw  that  the  wall  behind  the  glass  was  papered 
with  tracts.     On  calling  attention  to  it^  the  man  said^ 
^  Some  years  ago^  a  man  who  carried  books  and  tracts 
was  here^  and  left  us  a  few  to  read ;  but  I  ' — here  he 
stopped,  and  seemed  to  hesitate  about  saying  more.     I 
enquired  if  he  had  read  them.     ^No/  said  he,  'for  at 
that  time  I  did  not  believe  such  things,  and  therefore 
pasted  them  to  the  wall.^     'Do  you  now  believe  them?' 
I  enquired.     '  Yes.     As  often  as  I  approached  the  wall 
to  look  into  the  glass,  I  could  not  help  seeing  and  reading 
them.    It  was  the  same  with  my  wife  and  children.    We 
were  all  led  to  see  our  sinfulness,  and  from  that  time  we 
had  no  peace  until  we  commenced  praying,  and  continued 
till  we  found  peace  with  God  through  Christ.'     He  told 
me  that  he  and  his  wife  and  children  had  joined  the 
church,  and  that  he  frequently  had  expressed  a  wish  to 
see  the  man  who  had  given  him  the  tracts.    '  If  he  should 
come  again,'  said  I,  'what  good  would  it  do  you?'     'I 
should  like  to  have  some  of  those  good  books ;  I  have 
borrowed  several  of  my  neighbours  and  read  them,  but 
could  never  get  any  for  my  own.'     Opening  my  saddle- 
bags, I  informed  him  that  I  was  the  very  man,  and 
showed  him  my  books.     I  cannot  describe  the  joy  they 
felt  on  that  occasion.     I  had  to  stay  over  night  with 
them,  and  the  next  morning  they  bought  several  dollars' 
worth  of  books." 

Dear  reader,  do  not  try  to  shift  from  yourself  your 
share  of  responsibility  as  regards  ministry.  No  matter 
who,  or  what  you  be,  if  you  be  the  Lord's,  there  is  a 
sphere  in  which  you  are  to  act.  It  is  your  sphere,  God 
has  marked  it  out  as  such  ;  and  is  it,  alas,  unoccupied, 

I 


86  MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY. 

eitlier  from  never  having  been  entered  on  at  all_,  or  from 
being  deserted  after  having  been  wrought  in  for  a  time  ? 

You  can  do  something  in  ministry.     Try. 

"  Children,  I  want  each  of  you  to  bring  a  new  scholar 
to  the  school  with  you  next  Sunday/^  said  the  super- 
intendent of  a  Sunday  school  to  his  scholars  one  day. 

"  I  canH  get  any  new  scholars/'  said  several  of  the 
children  to  themselves. 

"  V\\  try  what  I  can  do,"  was  the  whispered  response 
of  a  few  others. 

One  of  the  latter  class  went  home  to  his  father,  and 
said.  "Father,  will  you  go  to  the  Sunday  school  with  me?" 

"  I  can^t  read,  my  son,"  replied  the  father,  with  a  look 
of  shame. 

"  Our  teachers  will  teach  you,  dear  father,"  answered 
the  boy,  with  respect  and  feeling  in  his  tones. 

"Well,  1^11  go,"  said  the  father. 

He  went,  learned  to  read,  sought  and  found  the  Saviour, 
and  at  length  became  a  colporteur.  Years  passed  on,  and 
that  man  had  established  four  hundred  Sunday  schools, 
into  which  thirty-five  thousand  children  were  gathered ! 

Thus  you  see  what  trying  did.  That  boy^s  effort  was 
like  a  tiny  rill,  which  soon  swells  into  a  brook,  and  at 
length  becomes  a  river.  His  effort,  by  God's  grace,  saved 
his  father:  and  his  father  being  saved,  led  thirty-five 
thousand  children  to  the  Sunday  school ! 

The  church,  if  it  awoke  to  a  recognition  of  the 
ministry  to  which  it  is  called,  would  astonish  the  world ; 
it  is  no  marvel,  if  a  sleepy  church  leaves  unimpressed  a 
sleepy  world.  If  the  world  took  up  a  taunting  tone 
toward  the  church,  we  could  not  be  surprised ;  it  might 
iay,  "  yonder  is  a  saint,  he  tells  me  that  he  is  called  to 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY.  87 

be  a  peculiar  man ;  and  that  in  Scripture^  his  sort  are 
called  '  peculiar  people ;  ^  he  says  he  is  to  take  up  his 
cross  daily,  and  to  war  with  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
Devil ;  but  he  leads  an  uncommonly  easy  life ;  he  does 
not  seem  to  trouble  himself,  any  more  than  the  rest  of 
us  do,  aboat  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  Devil."  The 
ways  of  the  people  of  God,  are,  alas !  in  the  present  day 
too  like  the  ways  of  the  world ;  the  seal  is  almost  as 
smooth  as  the  wax ;  and  what  marvel,  if  the  impression 
that  it  leaves,  be  slight. 

We  cannot  but  perceive,  that  those  who  hold  the  pure 
truths  of  grace,  and  see  their  justification  by  simple  faith 
in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  are  in  many  instances  of  practical 
activity,  and  outward  ministry,  far  behind  those  who 
distort  the  truth,  and  seek,  in  part  at  least,  to  do  for 
themselves  what  can  be  done  by  Christ  alone.  Well 
might  they  say  to  some  who  glory  in  the  rectitude  of 
their  theology,  "  shew  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works, 
and  I  will  shew  thee  my  faith  by  my  works ; "  they  in 
many  instances,  put  us  to  shame :  and  the  world,  which 
judges  by  external  evidence,  will  give  the  palm  to  those 
whose  activity  they  see  the  most. 

See  the  position  in  which  the  church  is  placed  in  the 
aggregate;  one  might  well  ask,  where  is  it?  here  and 
there  we  see  an  isolated  individual,  or  perhaps  a  little 
company,  ministering  to  Christ,  and  for  Him  in  the 
world ;  but  where  is  the  great  body,  the  church  ?  Where 
can  we  behold  its  arrayed  battalions,  where  its  forces 
massed  for  a  grand  assault  upon  the  powers  of  evil; 
where  do  we  see  it  possessed  of  power  from  the  very 
impetus  of  its  weight  and  numbers  ?  The  sight  is  nowhere 
to  be  seen ;  split  into  fragments,  in  many  cases  inert. 


88  MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY. 

and  standing  aside  from  ministry,  it  exists  no  doubt,  but 
its  existence  lias  little  influence  on  the  world.  May  the 
Lord  quicken  it,  and  quicken  each  of  His  own  people,  as 
members  of  it;  and  then,  blessings  to  thousands,  and 
tens  of  thousands  will  be  the  result ! 

A  few  words  upon  the  world ,  as  the  third  loser  by  the 
non-ministering  of  many  of  the  people  of  God,  will  close 
this  chapter.  So  long  as  the  church  of  God  takes  up 
a  ifefensive,  and  not  an  o/fensive  position,  so  long  will 
she  be  occupying  a  lower  position,  than  that  assigned  to 
her  by  Christ.  The  position  occupied  by  Christ  was 
aggressive ;  that  marked  out  for  His  apostles  was  aggres- 
sive ;  that  occupied  by  the  early  church  was  aggressive. 
Peter  and  John  refused  to  be  silent,  and  said,  ^^  Whether 
it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  you, 
more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye,  for  we  cannot  but  speak 
the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard. ^'  Acts  iv,  19. 
God  has  always  honoured  the  aggressive  assaults  of  His 
church,  upon  the  powers  of  darkness — a  simply  defensive 
church  is  sure  to  be  despised.  The  world  has  a  complaint 
to  make  against  the  people  of  God ;  they  do  not,  in  this 
ministry  and  testimony,  hold  forth  the  light  to  a  world 
that  lieth  in  sin ;  and  although  the  world  does  not  now 
complain,  and  wicked  men  are  perhaps  glad  to  be  spared 
the  intrusiveness  of  a  troublesome  testimony,  still  a  time 
may  come,  when  these  very  men  will  perhaps  prefer  a 
charge  against  the  people  of  the  Lord ;  when  they  will 
say,  '^  why  did  they  not  testify  to  us,  so  that  we  must  at 
least  have  been  startled ;  ^  and  perhaps  we  might  not  have 

*  The  following  speech  of  a  converted  Rarotongean,.  though 
couched  in  amusing  language,  is  full  of  profitable  suggestion.  In 
the  course  of  his  address  he  said,  "  Fathers  and  Brethren — Last 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  89 

come  into  this  place  of  torment  ? "  Yes,  perhaps  that 
charge  may  come,  even  before  they  leave  the  earth. 
There  have  been  instances  of  this.     Here  is  one. 

For  several  successive  evenings,  a  beloved  and  faithful 
minister  preached  "  Christ,  and  Him  crucified,"  to  an 
attentive  and  solemn  audience.  God^s  Spirit  was  there ; 
this  was  known  by  the  earnest  attention,  the  solemn 
stillness,  the  falling  tear. 

Evening  after  evening,  at  the  close  of  the  discourse, 
the  pastor  invited  all  who  felt  concerned  for  their  salva- 
tion, to  remain  for  conversation  and  prayer.  Some 
remained ;  others  went  home :  some,  it  may  be,  in  the 
solitude  of  their  own  rooms,  to  consecrate  themselves  to 
the  service  of  Christ ;  but  more,  it  is  to  be  feared,  to 
drown  the  voice  of  conscience,  stifle  conviction,  and 
harden  themselves  in  their  impenitence. 

night  as  I  lay  on  my  bed  thinking  on  my  present  experiences, 
the  cocks  began  to  crow,  and  all  at  once  a  thought  came  into  my 
mind  that  they  resembled  our  teachers  and  missionaries,  they 
are  always  crowing,  warning  and  teaching  us  from  God's  word. 
Papenia  came  first,  and  he  crowed  every  morning  and  evening, 
making  known  the  sins  of  the  people,  and  the  love  of  God;  then 
came  Wiliameni  and  Pitimani  and  Barokote,  and  they  all  crowed, 
all  alike  and  continuously.  Ah !  it  was  morning  then ;  and  some 
of  you  fathers  awoke  out  of  your  sleep  of  sin,  and  you  have  had  a 
long  day,  but  many  of  us  sleep  on ;  we  just  heard  the  sound  of 
the  voice,  and  lifted  up  our  eyelids,  but  soon  folded  our  hands  in 
our  folly,  and  slept  on  in  sin.  It  was  thus  with  me,  but  I  am 
thankful  the  missionary  did  not  fly  away  to  another  land,  and 
leave  us  to  sleep  on  until  death.  He  remained,  and  kept  on 
crowing  the  word  of  God.  But  alas!  it  is  noonday  now;  my 
morning  is  passed,  yet  I  rejoice  that  I  have  been  awakened  out 
of  my  sleep,  and  desire  to  give  the  remainder  of  my  day  to  God's 
service." — Gems  from  the  Coral  Islands. 

I  2 


90  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY. 

One  evening,  after  a  faithful  sermon,  the  minister, 
renewing  the  invitation  to  enquirers  to  remain,  narrated 
the  following  facts  : — ■ 

He  was  awakened  at  midnight  by  a  message  from  a 
young  lady  sinking  in  a  decline,  who  wished  to  see  and 
converse  with  him.  As  he  entered  the  room,  he  noticed 
a  younger  sister  of  the  dying  one,  who  was  evidently  fast 
following  her  into  eternity.  He  commenced  asking  the 
dying  girl  of  her  prospects,  and  as  he  did  so,  the  younger 
sister  arose,  with  a  look  that  said,  plainer  than  words, 
she  did  not  wish  to  hear  the  conversation,  and  abruptly 
left  the  room.  But  he  continued,  and  was  rejoiced  to 
find  that  the  dying  girl  was  leaning  on  the  strong  arm  of 
her  Beloved,  and  that,  as  her  feet  trod  the  dark  vaUey,  His 
rod  and  staff  comforted  her.     And  so  she  died — in  hope. 

Only  a  few  weeks  from  her  death,  he  was  again  sent 
for;  this  time  to  visit  the  younger  sister,  who  was  so 
soon  following  the  elder  to  the  grave.  As  he  went  to 
her  bedside,  she  looked  up  with  great  anxiety,  and  asked, 

"  Mr.  M ,  do  you  remember,  when  you  were  here 

before,  and  began  to  talk  to  my  sister  about  death,  I  left 
the  room?''  "Yes;  why  did  you  do  so?''  ''Because 
I  did  not  wish  to  hear  what  you  would  say ;  and  now  see 

where  I  am.     Oh,  Mr.  M ,  why  did  you  not  follow 

me,  and  make  me  hear  ?  "  There  was  agony,  even  despair 
in  her  tones,  as  she  said  it ;  and  then  she  added,  "  Oh, 
it  is  a  dreadful — dreadful  thing  to  die."  And  before 
many  hours  she  died — in  despair. 

"  Never,  never,"  said  he,  "  shall  I  forget  that  scene, 
and  never  shall  I  cease  to  urge  sinners,  even  to  follow 
them,  if  need  be,  that  they  may  be  warned  of  their 
danger  and  led  to  their  only  Refuge." 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY.  91 

Dear  reader  !  let  us  go  forth  to  our  testimony,  and  say 
these  "I  wills''  with  all  our  hearts,  and  practise  them 
in  our  daily  lives.  Let  us  lose  no  time,  for  souls  are 
perishing  around,  and  our  own  lives  are  fading  fast 
away;  and  for  aught  we  know,  the  night  shades  of  our 
ministry  and  testimony  may  be  gathering  around  us 
even  now ! 


92 


CIIAPTEE    III. 

The  '*I  "Will"  of  Converse. 

Psalm  cxlv,  5.  "  I  will  si^eak  of  the  glorious  honour  of  Thy 
majesty" 

THE  subject  upon  whicli  we  have  here  to  enter,  is  the 
DIFFERENT     FORMS     OF     MINISTRY    AND     TESTIMONY 

brought  before  us,  in  the  determinations  of  the  Psalmist 
which  we  have  just  read.     They  may  be  said  to  di^dde 
themselves  into  three  classes. 
I.  Converse. 
IT.  Teaching. 

III.  Manifestation. 

The  Psalmist's  determination  with  reference  to  con- 
verse, will  form  the  subject  of  our  consideration  in  the 
present  chapter.  "I  will  speak,"  said  he,  ''^of  the 
glorious  honour  of  Thy  majesty." 

Little  need  be  brought  forward,  to  shew  how  low  is 
the  standard,  of  the  habitual  converse  of  the  world. 
Buying  and  selling,  gossiping  and  trifling,  form  the 
s'aple  subjects  of  its  daily  converse.  As  are  men's 
minds,  their  hopes,  their  interests,  their  enjoyments,  and 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — CONVERSE.  93 

tlieir  fears^  so  also  is  their  conversation.  Of  the  earthy 
earthy,  such  is  the  best  description  of  it ;  and  that  it  is 
so,  we  cannot  be  surprised.  Where  the  treasure  is,  there 
will  the  heart  be  also ;  and  where  the  heart  is,  there 
generally  will  the  tongue  be  too.  Of  course  it  is  not  for 
a  moment  to  be  supposed,  that  we  would  sliut  up  all 
conversation  about  business,  or  the  ordinary  affairs  of 
daily  life ;  most  of  the  children  of  God,  must  get  their 
bread  by  labour  as  well  as  others ;  and  to  do  this,  they 
must  mix  more  or  less  with  the  world ;  but  it  is  one  thing 
to  talk  with  the  people  of  the  world,  it  is  another  to  be 
worldly  in  our  tone. 

That,  however,  with  which  we  have  now  to  do  is,  the 
converse  of  God's  people.  Alas !  how  low,  how  very  low 
is  this  oftentimes,  in  its  tone.  When  the  world  can,  so 
to  speak,  make  no  demands  upon  us,  when  we  need  not 
speak  of  its  affairs,  how  frequently  do  we  find  ourselves 
entermg  with  interest  upon  what  is  small,  and  unimpor- 
tant; instead  of  upon  subjects,  calculated  to  enlarge  our 
knowledge  of  God,  and  our  love  to  Christ.  In  a  word, 
how  often  do  we  find  ourselves  without  an  aptitude  for 
holy  converse — without  that  abundance  of  the  heart,  out 
of  which  the  mouth  should  speak — without  that  readiness 
in  holy  things,  whiph  would  make  us  turn  our  conversa- 
tion in  their  direction  without  any  effort,  without  any 
feeling  that  we  were  fulfilling  a  duty,  or  doing  what  was 
right,  or  performing  a  task.  Laboured  conversation  on 
religious  matters,  is  seldom  profitable ;  it  is  like  a  tune 
played  by  one  without  an  ear ;  correct  indeed  in  every 
note,  and  the  time  kept  with  the  utmost  precision ;  but 
the  spirit  of  the  composer  is  not  in  it ;  it  is  like  poetry, 
exact  indeed  in  measure,  and  in  rhyme,  but  lacking  the 


94  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — CONVERSE. 

inspiration^  which  makes  true  poetry  what  it  is ;  it  is 
like  a  statue  with  rounded  limb,  and  smoothly  chiselled 
surface,  but  destitute  of  that  life,  which  plays  in  smiles 
around  the  lips,  and  glitters  with  light  in  the  deep 
recesses  of  the  eyes ;  all  may  be  proper  and  perfect,  but 
alas  !  all  may  be  also  dead.  The  converse  upon  religious 
matters  which  is  pumped  with  labor  from  a  christian,  is 
very  different  from  that  which  flows  with  ease.  Better 
to  be  silent,  and  commune  with  our  own  hearts,  if  we 
feel,  from  any  cause,  unwilling  to  converse  on  high  and 
holy  things ;  for  to  talk  religion  is  a  bad  thing. 

Let  us  descend,  however,  from  generalities,  to  some- 
thing more  particular  upon  this  matter ;  for  when  certain 
points  are  brought  before  us  with  precision,  we  are  more 
likely  to  derive  some  practical  benefit;  and  to  bring 
forth  some  practical  fruit  in  our  daily  life. 

Let  us  first  take  visiting.  There  are  many  christians 
who  will  find,  if  they  will  look  into  the  matter,  that  they 
have  many  most  unprofitable  acquaintances,  who,  from 
custom,  they  are  compelled  to  visit.  These  acquaintances 
are  not  congenial  to  them ;  perhaps  in  the  first  instance, 
they  never  desired  to  meet  them ;  but  they  have  done  so 
through  some  of  the  various  changes  and  chances  of 
life,  which  are  ever  throwing  us  amongst  new  faces,  and 
making  us  enter  into  new  relationships.  Such  persons 
are  unquestionably,  at  times,  a  great  hindrance ;  and  if 
the  christian  can  limit  their  number,  so  much  the  better. 
Many  a  christian  has  frittered  away  in  his,  or  her  daily 
round  of  calls,  not  only  much  valuable  time,  but  alsQ 
mucli  spiritual  strength.  A  christian  can  never  indulge 
in  trifling  of  any  kind,  witliout  deteriorating  to  some 
extent. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE.  \)!j 

And  here  I  may  point  out  tlie  position^  in  wliich  God^s 
ministers  are  often  placed,  in  this  respect.  ,  They  are 
expected,  as  it  is  called,  to  visit  their  people ;  (I  mean 
the  richer  portion  of  them,)  and  every  minister  who  is 
alive  to  his  duty,  will  endeavour  to  visit  rich,  as  well  as 
poor.  But  the  ideas  of  the  visitor,  and  visited,  are 
perhaps  very  different ;  the  former  is  anxious  to  do  good ; 
it  is,  perhaps,  entirely  in  a  ministerial  point  of  view,  he 
pays  his  visit ;  but  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  he  can  soon 
see  that  this  is  not  the  idea  of  the  person  on  whom  he 
calls.  If  there  be  a  sick  person  in  the  house,  then,  so 
far  as  that  individual  is  concerned,  a  religious  aspect  may 
be  put  upon  the  visit ;  but  not  so  far  as  others  are  con- 
cerned. Inside  the  walls  of  a  place  of  worship,  is,  in 
their  idea,  the  place  where  the  minister  ought  to  speak 
religion ;  but  not  in  their  houses,  and  not  upon  a  week 
day.  If  the  minister  do  not  go,  he  is  thought  a  man 
that  neglects  his  duty;  and  many  worldly  people  are 
piqued,  at  not  being  paid  the  compliment  of  a  call.  If 
he  do  go,  they  are  perhaps  offended  at  his  endeavours  to 
do  good ;  they  have  certainly  done  what  in  them  lies,  to 
waste  his  time ;  if  not  to  make  him  as  great  a  trifler  as 
themselves.  This  was  sorely  felt  by  the  excellent  James 
Hervey,  who  for  some  years  before  his  death,  visited 
very  few  of  the  principal  persons  in  the  neighbourhood. 
Being  once  asked  why  he  so  seldom  went  to  see  the 
gentlemen,  who  yet  showed  him  all  possible  esteem  and 
respect,  he  answered,  ^'  I  can  hardly  name  a  polite  family, 
where  the  conversation  ever  turns  upon  the  things  of 
God.  I  hear  much  frothy  and  worldly  chit-chat,  but 
not  a  word  of  Christ ;  and  I  am  determined  not  to  visit 
those  companies^  where  there  is  not  room  for  my  Master, 


96  MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY — CONVERSE. 

as  well  as  for  myself."  It  often  happens,  that  a  minister 
cannot  tliink  what  has  happened  to  untune  his  mind,  to 
blunt  the  fine  edge  of  his  spiritual  thoughts,  and  to  bring 
about  such  like  evils ;  if  he  turned  his  attention  to  this 
direction,  he  would  sometimes  find  out  whence  and  how 
the  evil  came. 

Let  us  all,  henceforth,  pay  some  attention  to  the  visits 
which  we  have  to  pay,  or  to  receive ;  if  we  cannot  raise 
the  tone  of  them  as  high  as  we  would,  at  least  let  us 
prevent  them  from  falling  as  low  as  they  have  a  natural 
tendency  to  do. 

Is  it  not  very  painful  to  listen,  from  time  to  time,  to 
the  conversation  of  many  who  call  themselves,  and  who, 
perhaps,  are,  ^the  children  of  God?'  It  is  frequently 
the  merest  gossip,  it  is  at  times  not  wanting  in  the 
elements  of  slander,  it  is  just  ''all  about  nothing;'^ 
when  the  whole  thing  is  over  we  are  just  about  as  wise 
as  before  it  began.  In  every  step  we  take  in  life  we 
leave  a  foot-fall  behind  us ;  it  wiU  not  be  unprofitable  to 
ask,  what  footprints  have  we  left  in  our  neighbours' 
houses  ?  We  hope  we  shall  not  be  misunderstood.  If 
we  were  to  attempt  to  put  a  stop  to  social  intercourse, 
we  should  be  doing  what  we  believe  is  not  according  to 
the  mind  of  God;  we  would  say  to  God's  people,  cannot 
the  tone  of  your  visiting  be  raised  ? 

And  to  turn  from  our  converse  in  visiting  and  company 
to  that  of  domestic  relationship;  might  we  not  also 
profitably  ask  whether  this,  too,  could  not  be  improved? 
What  speaking  is  there  in  our  houses  of  the  glorious 
honour  of  the  majesty  of  God?  Are  there  not  many 
professing  christians'  houses  in  which  God,  and  Christ, 
and   all   holy   things,  are  very  seldom  spoken  about? 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE.  97 

Are  there  not  many  Imsbancls  and  wives^  many  brothers 
and  sisters^  who  never  interchange  a  word  upon  the 
Siighestj  and  holiest,  and  noblest  themes?  Are  there 
not  comparatively  few  who  can  say,  "We  take  sweet 
counsel  together,  and  walk  in  the  house  of  God  as 
friends  ?  ^^  Have  not  we,  alas  !  not  only  been  backward 
in  leading  to  holy  converse,  but  do  we  not  feel  to  our 
shame  that  we  have  damped  it,  and  often  been  the  means 
of  extinguishing  it  ? 

And  by  so  doing  we  have  suffered  loss;  the  heat 
which  comes  from  the  friction  of  mind  with  mind,  has 
never  kindled  into  a  flame;  the  power  of  sympathy, 
which  is  as  great  in  spiritual  as  in  temporal  things,  has 
had  no  opportunity  of  gathering,  and  of  putting  forth  its 
energies ;  mind  has  not  been  drawn  out  to  mind,  and 
souls  have  lost  that  strengthening  and  comfort,  which, 
had  they  gone  forth  together  to  a  common  object,  might 
have  been  theirs.  See  what  a  oneness  exists  between 
the  parents  of  children,  from  the  very  fact,  that  the 
father  and  mother  have  a  common  interest,  and  talk 
about  it  as  well  as  act  for  it.  Insensibly  they  become 
knit  into  each  other ;  their  own  love  is  di'awn  out  towards 
each  other,  while  they  are  spending  and  being  spent 
upon  the  common  object  of  their  affections.  They  do 
not  love  their  children  with  this  design ;  they  do  not  act 
together  with  the  view  of  producing  this  result ;  it  comes 
naturally ;  and  just  so,  when  those  who  dwell  together, 
love  the  Lord,  and  talk  of  Him,  their  hearts  burn 
within  them,  as  they  journey  on  the  road  of  life ;  and 
they  are  joined  together  by  a  peculiar  bond;  they  feel 
that  their  interests  for  eternity  are  one,  that  they  love 
the  one  Saviour,  and  are  travelling  on  to  a  common 


98  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE. 

home.  May  tlie  Lord  enable  us,  henceforth,  to  sanctify 
more  and  more  the  converse  of  home  !  That  blessed  word 
will  be  invested  with  new  and  more  sacred  associations ; 
it  will  have  a  fresh  halo  of  light  thrown  around  it,  if 
Jesus  occupy  his  true  place  in  it,  as  the  relation  above 
all  others;  as  the  ONE  who,  with  self-existing  light, 
walks  amid  earth's  lesser  lights,  from  the  grandsire, 
whose  exhausted  flame  is  glimmering  in  the  socket,  down 
to  the  last-born  child  whose  feeble  life  is  like  the  taper 
that  has  been  just  lit.  The  familiar  household  words  of 
home  will  be  all  the  more  precious,  if  our  home  be 
Jesus'  home,  and  His  be  the  most  familiar  name.  He, 
the  most  frequent  theme ;  for  wherever  He  is  admitted. 
He  diffuses  a  fragrance  which  perfumes  all  within  its 
reach;  whatever  He  touches  He  anoints  with  an  oil 
which  forbids  the  rust  to  eat,  and  the  heavy  wheels  of 
life's  daily  work  to  creak. 

Oh,  I  can  easily  understand  how  in  a  household  where 
Jesus  is  a  well-known  name,  life's  weary  work  is  made 
light,  and  much  of  its  hard  pressure  is  removed,  and 
much  of  what  must  else  have  proved  bitterness,  is  made 
sweet. 

If  Jesus  enter  into  the  thoughts  and  converse  of  daily 
life,  the  servant  will  not  be  afraid  of  profaning  His  holy 
aame  by  encouraging  a  fellow-servant  to  do  that  day's 
work  to  Him ;  and  the  husband  will  not  forget  to  soothe 
the  anxieties,  and  to  hush  the  cares,  and  still  the 
woman's  fears,  of  the  one  who  looks  to  him  for  support 
and  counsel,  by  bringing  into  their  conversations  that 
well-known  name,  the  name  of  Him  who  is  touched 
with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  whose  heart  is  so 
soft,  that  it  takes  the  impression  of  every  line  of  our 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY — CONVERSE.  i'9 

sorrow ;  and  so  responsive,  that  it  echoes  every  sigh  we 
breathe :  and  she  will  be  to  hinij  even  as  he  has  been  to 
her,  and,  having  been  counselled  ia  the  name  of  God, 
will,  by  the  re-active  law,  counsel  in  the  same  name 
again ;  and  having  been  strengthened  in  His  name,  will 
in  that  name  repay,  by  strengthening  in  return ;  and 
parents  will  not  forget  to  make  Jesus  the  subject  of 
their  teachings  to  their  children,  and  it  may  be,  that 
children,  as  they  talk  of  Him,  may,  in  so  doing,  unwit- 
tingly fulfil  the  great  re-active  law,  and  ask  some  question 
which  will  lead  the  parent  into  some  new,  and  hitherto 
undreamed  of  truth.  Thus  may  Jesus  be  in  our  homes 
on  earth,  for  thus,  assuredly  will  He  be  in  our  home  in 
heaven ! 

And  here  we  have  touched  but  one  point,  even  of 
Christian  converse ;  and  that  as  a  part  of  the  '^  I  will  of 
Ministry  and  Testimony,"  but  in  this  one  point,  how 
much  is  contained  !  The  Lord  number  you,  dear  reader, 
amongst  those  of  whom  it  is  said,  "Then  they  that 
feared  the  Lord,  spake  often  one  to  another,  and  the 
Lord  hearkened  and  heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  Him,  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord, 
and  that  thought  upon  His  name.  And  they  shall  be 
mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make 
up  my  jewels;  and  I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man  spareth 
his  own  son  that  serveth  him/' 


100 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   ''  I  WILL  "  OF  CONVEESE. 

(Contirmed.) 

Psalm  cxlv,  5.  "  I  will  speak  of  the  glorious  hcnour  of  Thy 
majesty" 

WE  must  talk  mucli  to  God,  we  must  talk  mucli  with 
Him,  if  we  would  safely  talk  much  about  Him. 
We  must  have  an  inner  life,  out  of  wliich  the  outward 
life  must  flow;  else  our  external  life  of  holiness,  in  all 
its  various  streams,  whether  they  be  those  which  take 
their  way  through  our  own  home,  or  the  houses  of  others, 
will  run  unevenly,  and,  at  times,  run  dry. 

The  secret  of  an  effective  holy  life  in  public,  will  ever 
prove  to  be  a  holy  life  with  God  in  private ;  this  is  the 
root  from  which,  in  due  season,  will  come  both  leaves 
and  fruit. 

And  let  it  be  observed,  that  in  this  matter  of  converse, 
the  fruit  which  is  thus  brought  forth  is  not,  of  necessity, 
the  power  to  speak  with  volubility  upon  sacred  things. 
There  are  many  eminent  Christians  who  are  not  great 
talkers :  but  though  not  abundant  of  speech,  they  are 
weighty  in  it;  and  what  they  bring  forth  in  Vifew  words, 
is  often  of  more  value,  than  the  much  speaking  of  other 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY— CONVERSE.  101 

men.  Their  words  are  like  the  large,  rich,  ripened  fruit, 
which  hangs  singly  upon  the  tree;  and  which  has 
absorbed  all  the  strength,  and  sap,  of  the  branch  on 
which  it  hangs ;  the  words  of  others,  are  at  times  too 
plentiful,  and  like  the  thick  clustering,  but  immatured 
fruit,  for  the  swelling  and  bringing  to  maturity  of  which, 
the  branch  has  not  sufficient  strength.  A  few  words 
and  weighty,  are  better  than  many  and  weak. 

But  now  to  turn  more  immediately  to  the  matter  we 
have  in  hand.  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  Spirit,  and 
their  honour,  and  all  connected  with  them,  should  be 
the  subjects  of  our  converse;  not  because  we  ought  to 
speak  about  them,  nor  even  because  it  is  a  privilege  so  to 
do ;  but  because  we,  ourselves,  have  an  intimate  relation 
to,  and  interest  in  them  all.  We  generally  speak  or 
converse  about  that,  in  which  we  ourselves  have  an 
interest ;  the  very  fact  of  our  having  that  interest  and 
relationship,  making  us  come  on  such  a  topic.  It  is 
personal  interest  that  throws  life  into  conversation ;  we 
see  a  change  come  over  the  countenance,  and  into  the 
tone  of  voice,  and  into  the  very  attitude  of  the  body,  and 
the  animation  of  the  eye,  when  the  element  of  personal 
interest,  enters  into  the  conversation  in  which  we  are 
engaged.  And  when  we  recall  to  mind  our  conversations 
on  holy  things,  do  we  not  feel  how  often  they  have  been 
flat,  and  cold,  how  often  they  have  dragged  wearily  along^ 
because  they  lacked  this  very  fire  of  the  personal  element, 
this  very  salt,  and  seasoning,  of  individual  interest  ?  We 
have,  no  doubt,  come  very  short  in  this  respect ;  and  it 
may  be,  our  very  listlessness  and  formality  have  done 
hurt ;  our  coldness  and  abstraction  infected  those,  who, 
had  we   been  otherwise,  might  have  caught  from  our 

K  2 


102  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE. 

animated  eye,  a  spark  of  spiritual  intelligence ;  and  from 
our  earnest  tones,  a  deeper  knowledge  of  the  realities  of 
sacred  truth. 

Oh  !  how  blessed,  how  altered  will  be  the  condition  of 
God^s  people  in  this  respect,  when  they  are  perfected  in 
glory  !  Converse  upon  all  that  is  holy,  will  then  be  their 
delight — converse,  with  an  intelligence  far  above  what 
they  now  possess — converse,  the  interest  of  which  will 
never  flag  nor  cease ;  they  shall  feel  in  glory  that  they 
have  a  common  interest ;  they  shall  be  near  the  God, 
and  Christ,  to  whom  they  stand  in  blessed  relationship ; 
all  the  restraints  of  human  corruption,  langour,  and  dis- 
traction, shall  be  removed;  and  saint  shall  doubtless 
communicate  with  saint,  with  a  freedom,  and  a  largeness, 
and  a  depth,  of  which  not  even  an  idea  can  be  formed 
now.  Meanwhile,  let  us,  dear  reader,  try  to  improve, 
and  endeavour  in  a  measure,  at  least,  now  to  attain  that, 
which  if  we  be  Christ^ s,  we  shall  assuredly  attain  to  here- 
after. When  we  converse  upon  anything  connected  with 
God,  let  us  throw  our  own  personal  being  into  our  words ; 
let  us  not  content  ourselves  with  abstract  theories,  or 
truths  about  Him,  and  His :  surely  the  christian,  who  is 
one  with  Christ,  bone  as  it  were  of  His  bone,  and  flesh 
of  His  flesh,  is  nearly  enough  connected  with  Him,  to 
make  him  speak  with  the  power  of  personal  interest ,  on 
every  subject  in  which  He  is  concerned.  If  this  is  to  be 
the  case,  we  must  seek  to  have  more  personal  realizations 
of  God  in  our  own  souls ;  that  out  of  the  abundance  of 
the  heart,  the  mouth  may  speak. 

But  the  word  which  we  here  translate  "speak,"  is 
considered  by  Hebrew  critics  to  include  also  the  idea 
of    "expatiating,"    "speaking   at   large ;'^    not   merely 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE.  103 

'^  alluding  to^  incidentally/^  but  "  entering  into  particu- 
lars;" as  though  one  took  delight_,  in  speaking  upon  the 
matter  in  hand.  Now  there  is  something  very  satis- 
factory in  entering  into  particulars ;  we  can  often  gather 
light  upon  a  great  truth,  by  having  had  set  before  us 
some  of  the  particulars  connected  with  it ;  we  can  often 
understand  what  is  too  high  for  us,  in  itself  and  hy  itself, 
by  some  examples  which  bring  it  within  reach  of  our  dull 
understandings.  We  are  like  men  who  want  to  attain  a 
height,  who  have  not  wings  to  fly  up  to  it,  but  who  can 
reach  it  by  going  up  a  ladder,  step  by  step.  Particulars 
are  often  like  the  rounds  of  a  ladder,  little,  it  may  be,  in 
themselves,  but  very  helpful  to  us ;  and  to  dwell  upon 
particulars  is  often  of  use  to  ourselves ;  it  certainly  is  to 
many  with  whom  we  converse. 

Let  us  remember,  that  circumstanced  as  we  are  in  our 
present  state,  we  have  no  faculties  for  grasping  in  its 
simple  grandeur  the  glorious  honour  of  the  majesty  of 
God.  We  know  most  of  God,  from  what  we  know  of 
His  doings  amongst  the  children  of  men.  Hereafter, 
the  Lord^s  people  shall,  no  doubt,  have  much  revealed  to 
them  of  the  glorious  honour  of  the  majesty  of  God, 
which  they  could  now  neither  bear  nor  understand; 
meanwhile  they  have  to  know  Him  chiefly  by  what  He 
has  said  and  done ;  and  if  only  our  eyes  be  open,  we 
shall  be  at  no  loss  to  recognise  in  these,  the  glorious 
honour  of  His  majesty. 

Perhaps  it  might  be  said  by  some,  "  What  can  we  know 
of  this  ?  We  move  in  an  humble  sphere  of  life ;  we  never 
come  in  contact  with  the  mighty  operations  of  God  in 
nature,  nor  with  anything  remarkable  in  the  way  of  His 
providence;  we  have  no  opportunities  of  realizing  the 


104  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — CONVERSE. 

glorious  honour  of  God's  majesty  ;^^  but  there  is  no 
sphere  too  contracted  for  this  great  display ;  there  is  no 
position  so  low,  that  in  it  it  will  refuse  to  shine.  The 
fault,  dear  reader,  lies  in  ourselves;  the  majesty  of  the 
sun  is  not  seen  by  the  eye  that  is  blind ;  the  majesty  of 
God  in  daily  life  is  veiled,  just  in  proportion  to  the 
darkness  of  our  understandings.  If  God  open  our  eyes, 
we  behold  wondrous  things ;  not  only  out  of  His  law, 
but  in  His  daily  ordering  of  events.  Yes !  in  these 
common  things,  the  glorious  honour  of  God^s  majesty  is 
to  be  seen;  just  as  His  creative  majesty  is  visible,  in  the 
formation  of  the  smallest  grass-blade  or  the  meanest  shell. 
When  our  very  daily  bread  comes  before  us,  common  as 
it  is,  the  glorious  honour  of  God^s  maj  esty  is  to  be  traced 
in  it ;  for  what  was  every  grain  of  corn  of  which  it  was 
composed,  but  a  separate  resurrection  from  the  dead  ? 
And  how  could  that  have  been  brought  about,  save  by 
the  glorious  majesty  of  God?  WeU  might  the  Psalmist 
say,  "/  will  meditate  also  of  all  Thy  work,  and  talk  of 
Thy  doing s.^^ 

Let  me  add,  in  conclusion,  one  or  two  practical 
directions  with  reference  to  the  *'  converse  '^  upon  which 
we  have  just  now  been  dwelling.  If  we  be  God^s  people, 
let  us  shew  the  world  that  we  have  a  real  interest  in 
everything  connected  with  Him ;  let  them  see  by  our 
way  of  speaking  of  Him,  and  His,  that  we  love  Him, 
and  all  connected  with  Him,  in  every  way.  And  let  us 
encourage  each  other,  and  magnify  the  majesty  and 
honour  of  God,  by  bringing  into  our  familiar  converse, 
the  one  with  the  other,  the  particulars  wherein  we  have 
found  Him  gracious,  and  wherein  He  has  done  won- 
drously  for  us. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY CONVERSE.  105 

We  cannot  tell  how  blessed  the  result,,  which  may  be 
thus  produced.  Perhaps  some  christian  brother^  dull  of 
hearing  and  of  seeing^  will  understand  more  of  His 
greatness  and  His  goodness ;  perhaps  some  little  sparky 
which  we  have  struck  from  our  knowledge  or  experience, 
may  kindle  a  flame  in  him ;  so  that  he  may  say  ^'  my 
heart  burns  within  me  on  the  way.^^  It  may  be,  that 
making  use  of  our  talent,  we  shall  have  more  given  unto 
us ;  perhaps  we  shall  be  kept  from  some  evil  knowledge, 
or  evil  train  of  thought,  which,  coming  up  in  other 
conversation,  might  have  done  us  hurt.  Of  this  we 
may  be  sure,  that  the  more  our  conversation  has  to  do 
with  the  glorious  honour  of  the  majesty  of  God,  the 
more  will  it  be  free  from  all  that  is  calculated  to  debase, 
or  depress  the  mind :  the  more  will  self,  in  all  its  varied 
developments,  be  excluded :  the  less  will  there  be  of  those 
idle  words,  for  which  we  must  give  account . 


106 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  *'I  "Will"  of  Teaching. 

Psalm  li,  13.  "  Then  will  I  teach  transgressors  Thy  ways, 
and  smners  shall  he  co7iverted  unto  Thee." 

I  REACHING  is  ennobled  by  the  great  fact  that  God 
Himself  is  a  Teacher.  The  three  persons  of  the 
Trinity — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost — are  all  presented 
to  us  in  Holy  Scripture  in  the  character  of  Teachers; 
yea,  not  only  of  teachers,  but  of  laborious  Teachers, 
carrying  on  their  work  in  the  midst  of  many  impedi- 
ments ;  and  with  patience,  and  wisdom,  and  skill. 

It  is  a  sad  fact,  that  but  comparatively  few  are  alive 
to  the  vast  importance  of  the  position  of  the  teacher. 
Teaching  is  looked  upon  by  many  almost  in  the  same 
light  as  household  work,  and  paid  after  the  same  rate; 
the  tutor  and  the  butler  are  looked  upon  alike  as  servants, 
and  the  master  says,  "  I  will  give  unto  this  last,  even  as 
unto  thee ! " 

We  can  never  degrade  the  teacher  except  at  the  expense 
of  the  person  taught ;  the  shaft  men  so  often  cruelly  let 
fly,  will  glance  aside,  and  do  some  hurt  to  one  they  love. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING.  107 

The  teacher's  mission  is  from  God;  and  whether  this 
teaching  be  that  of  masters,  and  mistresses  ■  in  their 
schools;  or  that  of  the  mother  who  clusters  her  little 
ones  around  her  knee ;  or  that  of  the  nurse,  from  whom 
the  infant  catches  the  first  meaning  of  the  difiPerent  tones 
of  the  human  voice ;  it  is  a  mission  from  God :  it  is  en- 
nobled by  God, — and  if  it  be  carried  on  for  God, — it  will, 
in  eternity,  take  rank  amid  the  great  things  which  were 
done  by  God's  people,  in  time. 

The  victory  which  patient  teaching  has  gained  over  an 
unruly  spirit,  will  be  thought  more  of  than  the  successful 
issue  of  the  most  protracted  siege ;  the  devices  by  which, 
with  God's  blessing,  stubbornness  of  the  disposition  is 
melted,  and  through  which  the  after  life  becomes  fall  of 
holy  deeds,  will  be  magnified  above  all  that  the  man  of 
science  has  done  in  his  laboratory;  above  all  that  the 
skilled  artizan  has  produced  from  his  loom.  Christ 
Himself  will,  in  eternity,  as  the  One  who  was  the  Great 
Teacher,  assume  the  headship  of  all  who  were  teachers 
after  His  example,  and  for  Him ;  and  will  acknowledge 
as  His  brethren,  in  this  respect,  alike  the  apostle  Paul, 
who  wrote  "many  things  hard  to  be  understood,"  and  the 
poorest  Sunday  school  teacher,  who  could  do  little  more 
than  teach  his  infant  class  how  to  spell  the  name  of  Jesus. 
Jesus,  verily,  will  not  be  ashamed  to  call  them  all 
brethren ;  they  will  be  accounted  the  members  of  a  body, 
of  which  He  is  the  head. 

Surely  such  a  consideration  as  this,  should  cheer  the 
heart  of  many,  who  are  now,  it  may  be,  almost  tempted 
to  despond.  To  flesh  and  blood  much  of  their  work  is 
uninteresting ;  and  many  of  those  upon  whom  they  have 
to  carry  it  on,  are  disappointing  and  provoking;    but 


108  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING. 

whether  they  succeed,  or  whether  they  do  not^  if  they  be 
teaching  as  unto  the  Lord,  they  are  one,  in  work  and 
interest,  with  J  esus ;  and  every  hour  spent  in  labour,  and 
every  effort  made,  shall  hereafter  be  acknowledged  by  Him. 
Let  us  now,  however,  turn  from  the  general  subject  of 
the  ministry  of  teaching,  to  some  of  the  particulars  con- 
nected with  it.  Several  are  suggested  to  our  notice  by 
the  passage  immediately  under  consideration.  We  are 
all  familiar  with  the  cirumstances  under  which  this 
psalm  was  written;  it  is  full  of  fearful  realities;  the 
realities  of  a  broken  heart ;  of  a  deep  view  of  the  holi- 
ness of  God ;  of  the  awful  nature  of  sin :  there  is  a  living 
personal  earnestness,  running  through  it  all,  which  many, 
perhaps,  of  ourselves,  have  unwittingly  acknowledged,  by 
choosing  it  as  the  form  of  words,  in  which  we  confessed 
before  God,  it  may  be,  our  general  sinfulness,  or  more 
probably,  some  recent,  some  decided  sin. 

It  is  in  a  psalm  of  this  character,  we  find  the  words, 
"  Then  will  I  teach  transgressors  Thy  ways ;  '^  and 
coming,  as  these  words  do,  after  the  petitions,  that  God 
would  '^restore  to  the  Psalmist  the  joy  of  His  salvation, 
and  uphold  him  with  His  free  Spirit,'^  we  have  brought 
before  us  the  great  fact,  that  the  Psalmist^ s  teaching  will 
be  from  experience ;  out  of  the  fulness  of  his  own  know- 
ledge of  God,  he  will  minister  in  teaching  to  others. 

We  will  now  assume  that  the  duty  of  ministering  in 
teaching,  is  recognised  by  each  of  our  readers ;  that  you, 
dear  reader,  wish  to  fulfil  the  whole  will  of  God;  and  this 
as  well  as  anything  else.  Let  me,  then,  direct  your 
attention  to  the  great  importance  of  teaching  out  of  your 
own  personal  experience ;  of  using  your  experience  for 
this  purpose,  and  not  letting  it  lie  idle.     Experience  is 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING.  109 

accounted  precious  in  the  world ;  the  man  that  has  it^ 
turns  it  to  account;  it  is  precious  also^  in  the  spiritual 
world ;  and  he  who  has  it^  may  do  good  service  with  it 
for  God.  Even  the  dark  experience  which  a  man, 
unhappily,  has  had  of  sin,  may  be  overruled  and  sancti- 
fied, and  a  jewel  be  drawn  forth  from  it,  just  as  a 
precious  stone  is  often  drawn  from  the  depths  and 
recesses  of  a  gloomy  mine.  The  precious  stone  is  un- 
connected with  the  darkness  of  the  mine,  but  it  comes 
forth  from  it ;  the  experience,  also,  is  unconnected  with 
the  sin,  though  it  is  from  it  that  it  is  brought  out. 

Of  course  no  one  will  misunderstand  what  I  say,  and 
suppose  that  we  would  recommend  men  to  do  evil  that 
good  may  come.  What  we  say  is  this — it  seems  to  be 
ever  the  way  of  God,  to  draw  forth  life  from  death ;  this 
He  does  continually,  in  the  natural  world  ;  and  by  the 
operation  of  His  wonderful  power,  and  goodness.  He 
does  the  like  in  the  spiritual  world.  Death  is  from  man, 
for  sin  w,as  his  and  death  came  by  sin ;  but  resurrection 
is  from  God ;  so  sin  is  of  man,  the  overruling  of  it  is  of 
God;  the  terrible  fall  is  from  himself;  the  sanctified 
experience  from  it,  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  so  is  the 
using  of  that  experience  also.  And  what  are  all  the 
records  of  the  sins  of  the  saints,  which  we  find  given  us 
in  the  Scriptures  by  the  Spirit,  but  His  use  of  man^s 
dark  experience  of  sin  to  warn  and  teach  whoever  reads  ? 
^^  These  things  are  written  for  our  learning.'^ 

Well,  then,  dear  reader,  let  us  use  our  own  experience, 
and  that  of  others,  for  the  purposes  of  teaching.  Those 
experiences  may  be  dark  ones,  of  the  evil,  and  chastise- 
ment, and  misery  of  sin ;  or  they  may  be  bright  ones,  of 
the  blessedness  of  serving  God^  and  of  His  faithfulness^ 


110  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING. 

and  truth,  and  love;  but  whatever  they  are,  let  us  not 
permit  them  to  lie  idle.  Let  us  use  our  own  dark 
experience,  to  warn  others,  or  to  make  us  pray  for  them ; 
we  shaU  have  opportunities  enough  of  doing  so,  if  we 
will.  Perhaps  those  opportunities  will  be  afforded,  even 
amongst  those  who  are  near  and  dear  to  us,  in  our  daily 
life.  When  we  see  any  one  hastening  to  the  brink  of  the 
pit,  into  which  we  have  fallen,  and  in  which  we  have 
suffered  hurt,  let  us  give  him  the  benefit  of  our  experi- 
ence, and,  if  possible,  save  him  before  he  plunge  in. 
And  if,  unhappily,  we  cannot  do  this,  oh !  remembering 
what  we  suffered  ourselves,  let  us  pray  him  out  of  the  pit 
if  we  can ;  let  us  stand  at  the  mouth  of  it,  and,  out  of 
our  own  experiences,  teach  him  the  only  way  of  escape, 
and,  it  may  be,  we  shall  be  the  means  of  rescuing  his 
soul. 

Sin  is  no  talent,  but  the  sanctified  experience  of  a 
sinner,  is.  Let  us  use  it,  along  with  all  other  talents,  for 
the  One  to  whom  we  must  give  account.  A  little 
thought,  and  searching  our  own  hearts,  will  shew  us  how 
we  can  in  this  particular  way,  teach  for  God.  If  we 
have  had  experience  of  gross  sin  in  any  form,  the  way  of 
doing  so  presents  itself,  only  too  plainly,  before  our  eyes ; 
but  even  if  we  have  not,  we  need  not  be  at  any  loss. 

Let  the  mother  who  was  snared  in  her  own  young 
days,  by  the  love  of  human  approbation,  teach  her 
children  out  of  the  depth  of  her  own  experience;  and 
from  their  youngest  days,  instruct  them  to  look  up  to  the 
highest  standard  of  praise,  the  approbation  of  their  God. 
Let  her  shew  them  that  one  approving  word  from  Jesus, 
yea,  one  sent  from  Him  to  them  through  their  own 
consciences,  is  better  than  man's  superficial  admiration. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING.  Ill 

man's  most  fulsome  praise.  Let  the  one  who  set  her 
heart  too  fondly  upon  hmnan  love^  only  to  find  that  in 
her  case  the  fair  vision  was  a  mirage,  the  illusive  lakes 
and  fountains  of  which,  had  not  one  real  drop  to  slake 
her  parching  thirst,  teach  those  who  come  within  her 
circle  of  influence,  out  of  the  depths  of  her  own  wilder- 
ness experiences ;  and  let  her  hand,  wasted  it  may  be 
with  lifers  fever,  point  others  to  that  One  who  is  the 
water  of  life,  at  which  not  only  the  immortal  spirit,  but 
even  the  human  affections  of  the  heart,  can  drink  and 
be  refreshed. 

Whoever  has  yielded  to  pride,  or  vanity,  or  worldli- 
ness,  or  selfishness,  or  foolish  habits  of  thought,  or  any 
such  like  things,  can  minister  out  of  their  experience  to 
others ;  and  do  it  with  the  earnestness  which  experience 
gives.  Who  can  warn  the  careless  boy,  who  crowds 
canvas  upon  his  fragile  boat,  so  well  as  he  who  has  been 
himself  upset,  and  snatched,  as  it  were,  from  the  very 
jaws  of  a  watery  death  ?  Who  can  warn  the  child  of  the 
danger  of  eating  the  bright,  but  poisoned  berry,  so 
well  as  he  who  had  tasted  once  of  the  tempting  bait, 
and  had  writhed  in  agony  from  its  subtle  power,  and 
escaped  from  its  influence  barely  with  his  life  ?  None 
will  be  so  well  able  to  point  out  pure  gold  as  they  who 
had  once  believed  that  all  was  gold  that  glittered,  but 
who  have  now  found  out  their  mistake  by  having  become 
the  victims  of  many  a  cheat.  Let  us  give  our  children, 
and  those  with  whom  from  time  to  time  we  come  in  con- 
tact, the  benefit  of  our  experiences,  so  far  as  opportunity 
is  afforded;  and  perhaps  from  our  sorrows  they  may 
reap  a  harvest  of  joys. 

And  just  one  word  upon  those  blessed  experiences  of 


112  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

which  the  Psalmist  speaks  in  the  verse  immediately 
preceding  the  text.  "Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  Thy 
salvation,  and  uphold  me  with  Thy  free  spirit.''  What- 
ever be  our  blessed  experiences,  let  ns  put  them  out  to 
interest  for  God;  let  us  use  thera  for  Him,  let  us  teach 
out  of  them. 

If  so  be  we  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  let 
us  teach  others  of  Him  as  we  have  found  Him ;  if  He 
have  restored  us  after  we  have  fallen,  let  us  teach  other 
fallen  ones  that  He  is  willing  to  restore  them ;  if  He 
have  succoured  us  in  our  day  of  trial,  either  of  body  or 
of  soul,  let  us  teach  others  out  of  our  own  experience, 
and  cheer  them  with  the  knowledge  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious.  "  Blessed  be  God,^^  (says  the  apostle,  in  2  Cor. 
i,  3,)  "  even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Father  of  mercies  and  the  God  of  all  comfort,  who 
comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able 
to  comfort  them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort 
wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of  God.^^ 

If  we  have  been  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  oh,  let  us 
win  others  thither,  by  telling  them  out  of  our  own  expe- 
rience, how  ripe  are  its  fruits,  how  cool  its  shade ;  that 
there  we  found  the  One  of  whom  it  is  written,  ^*^  I  sat 
under  His  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  His  fruit  was 
sweet  to  my  taste.'^     (Canticles  ii,  3.) 


ll; 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  'a  WILL"  OF  TEACHING. 

(Continued.) 

Psalm  li,  13.     "  Then  ivill  I  teach  transffressors  Thy  ways,,  and 
sinners  shall  he  converted  unto  Thee.''' 

THE  idea  of  teaching  generally  includes  that  of  toil. 
There  are^  no  donbt^  many  cases  when  the  aptitude 
and  intelligence  of  the  pupil  make  teaching  a  pleasant 
work ;  but  this  must  be  taken  as  the  exception_,  and  not 
the  rule.  Teaching  generally  involves  self-denial_,  as  well 
as  toil.  Every  good  and  successful  teacher  has  been  a 
painstaking  and  self-denying  man ;  doing  more  than  his 
bare  duty  called  upon  him  to  do,  and  not  measuring  his 
exertions  simply  by  his  hire.  If  we  might  speak  of  God 
after  the  manner  of  men.  He  also  seems  to  have  taken 
great  pains  in  teaching  the  children  of  men. 

Now  what  I  desire  to  treat  of  in  the  present  chapter 
is: — 

I.  The  painstaking  ivhich  should  be  found  in  all 
teaching  undertaken  for  God.     And 

II.  The  necessity  of  doing  the  Lord's  work  fully ; 
not  picking  and  choosing  as  we  like,  but  taking  it  as  He 
presents  it  to  us. 

L  2 


114  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING. 

Tliere  should  be  painstaking  in  all  teaching  for  God. 
"We  should  be  very  cautious  how  we  treat  as  a  light  thing 
our  ministry  of  Teaching.  That  teaching  may  be  in  a 
great  congregation^  or  in  a  Sunday  school^  or  in  our  own 
domestic  circle,  or  perhaps  the  object  of  it  may  be  only 
some  one  or  two  friends,  who  are  looking  up  to  us  for 
instruction ;  but  whether  those  who  are  taught  be  high 
or  low,  many  or  few,  rich  or  poor,  what  our  hand  findeth 
to  do  we  should  do  with  our  might :  though  we  were  but 
teaching,  as  it  were,  the  alphabet  of  religion,  we  should 
take  pains.  The  pains  connected  with  teaching  may  be 
divided  into  two  classes ;  the  passive  pains  of  what  we 
have  to  undergo ;  the  active  pains  of  what  we  have  to  do. 

There  is  a  great  deal  to  be  undergone  in  teaching. 
We  have  to  bear  with  much.  The  stupidity,  the  inapti- 
tude to  learn,  the  inattention,  the  forgetfulness,  the 
waywardness,  of  those  we  have  to  teach,  are  so  many 
dead  weights  which  we  have  to  bear.  We  are  but  flesh 
and  blood,  and  these  things  weary  us,  and  undoubtedly 
make  our  work  far  harder  than  otherwise  it  would  be. 

Let  me  remind  you,  dear  readers,  that  Jesus,  the  Great 
Teacher,  and  I  hope  I  may  say  your  great  example,  had 
to  bear  with  all  this ;  and  let  me  remind  you  further, 
that  all  these  are  so  many  trials  of  endurance ;  and  that 
the  endurance  of  the  saints  will  add  to  the  lustre  and 
glory  of  their  crown.  There  is  a  reward  for  endurance, 
as  well  as  action. 

Have  we  not  many  instances  in  Holy  Scripture  of 
Christ's  endm-ance  in  this  point?  Instead  of  reviling 
His  disciples  for  their  stupiditj^,  hear  how  He  speaks  to 
them  in  Matt,  xv,  16:  "And  Jesus  said,  are  ye  yet 
without  understanding  ?  do  not  ye  yet  understand  that 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY— TEACHING.  115 

whatsoever  enteretli  in  at  the  mouth  goeth  into  the  belly, 
and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught  ?  ^'  And  again  in  chap, 
xvi,  6 :  "  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Take  heed  and 
beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the 
Sadducees.  And  they  reasoned  among  themselves,  say- 
ing, It  is  because  we  have  taken  no  bread :  which  when 
Jesus  perceived,  he  said  unto  them,  O  ye  of  little  faith, 
why  reason  ye  among  yourselves,  because  ye  have 
brought  no  bread  ?  Do  ye  not  yet  understand,  neither 
remember,  the  five  loaves  of  the  five  thousand,  and  how 
many  baskets  ye  took  up?  Neither  the  seven  loaves 
of  the  four  thousand,  and  how  many  baskets  ye  took  up? 
How  is  it  that  ye  do  not  understand  that  I  spake  it  not 
to  you  concerning  bread,  that  ye  should  beware  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees?  Then 
understood  they  how  that  He  bade  them  not  beware  of 
the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees 
and  of  the  Sadducees.^^  And  again  in  John  xi,  11 : 
"  These  things  said  He :  and  after  that  He  saith  unto 
them.  Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth;  but  I  go  that  I 
may  awake  him  out  of  sleep  Then  saith  His  disciples^ 
Lord,  if  he  sleep  he  shall  do  well.  Howbeit  Jesus  spake 
of  His  death ;  but  they  thought  that  He  had  spoken  of 
taking  of  rest  in  sleep.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them 
plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead.  And  I  am  glad  for  your 
sakes  that  I  was  not  there,  to  the  intent  ye  may  believe ; 
nevertheless  let  us  go  unto  him.^'  Surely  the  disciple  is 
not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  Lord ! 
Wherever  we  look  we  find  that  endurance  in  toil  meets 
with  its  reward.  The  greatest  discoveries  and  inventions 
have  been  the  fruits  of  long  endurance.  At  times,  men 
seemed   to  have  the   object  they  desired  within  their 


116  MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

gi'asp ;  and  tlieii;,  it  receded  from  them  \  and  with  this 
disappointment  came  also  the  temptation  to  give  np  :  but 
they  endured  and  gained  their  end  at  last.  In  education 
above  all  things,  endurance  is  needed_,  and  is  sure  to 
produce  its  results.  Patient  endurance  in  teaching  has 
accomplished  more  than  even  the  most  sanguine  could 
have  dared  to  hope. 

At  the  great  day,  there  will  doubtless  be  seen  many 
woDderfol  results  of  simple  endurance  in  ministry ;  in 
the  ministry  of  Teaching,  and  of  Testimony.  Great 
things  will  be  found  to  have  been  accomplished,  without 
any  shining  talent,  or  extraordinary  opportunities ;  with 
nothing  but  "  the  patient  continuance  in  well  doing/' 
Our  fellow  men  may  have  looked  upon  us,  as  having  a 
claim  to  no  higher  character,  than  that  of  a  persevering, 
patient  plodder,  in  the  path  of  duty  or  of  lovcj  they 
may  have  despised  our  want  of  brilliancy,  and  talent ; 
we  may  ourselves  have  felt  painfully  conscious,  that  in 
these  things,  we  have  been  far  inferior  to  others ;  but 
the  reward  for  patient  endurance  in  labour  will,  in  all 
probabiHty,  be  greater  than  that  for  the  bare  use  of  any 
talent  we  might  have  possessed.  It  may  have  been 
positive  enjoyment  to  use  a  talent;  but  it  is  seldom,  or 
never  any  enjoyment  to  endure;  the  results  produced  by 
the  sheer  exercise  of  endurance,  will  be  acknowledged  to 
have  been  purchased  at  a  higher  price,  than  those  which 
have  been  produced  by  the  exercise  of  talent.  This 
assuredly  ought  to  be  no  slight  encouragement  to  those 
who  are  possessed  of  no  shining  talents.  Such  persons 
can  do  something.  They  can  endure  in  some  humble 
sphere  of  labour,  for  Christ ;  and  by  such  endurance  not 
only  act  like  Him,  but  also  act  for  Him.     Their  talent 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING.  117 

may  be  of  no  more  power  in  itself,  than  the  single  drops 
which  trickle  down  the  surface  of  the  rock ;  But  if  they, 
by  continuance,  can  leave  a  record  of  their  progress,  in 
the  channel  which  they  wear  away,  oh !  surely,  so  can 
the  feeble  talent,  ever  at  work,  win  a  record  of  its 
endurance,  aye,  in  what  wiU  prove  more  indestructible 
than  the  hardest  rock  itseK"^ 

These,  and  such  as  these  make  up  what  might  be 
called  the  passive  pains  of  teaching;  there  are  others 
which  are  active,  and  therefore  more  acute. 

In  teaching,  we  must  condescend.  We  are  now,  of 
course,  concerned  only  with  spiritual  things ;  and  all  our 
remarks  must  have  reference  to  them.  Unless  we  con- 
descend to  men  of  low  estate  in  knowledge,  we  shall  often 
not  be  able  to  accomplish  anything  for  the  soul.  There 
are  few  who  are  engaged  in  spiritual  teaching  who  have 
not,  from  time  to  time,  been  astonished  at  the  dense 
ignorance  with  which  they  have  come  into  contact ;  even 
in  the  cases  of  men,  who  received  credit  for  knowing 
something  of  the  truths  of  God.  I  am  not  referring 
now,  to  ignorance  on  prophetical  views,  or  abstruse 
points  of  doctrine;  but  upon  fundamental  points.  We 
frequently  find  instances,  where  men  are  very  misty  upon 
the  great  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith ;  and  still  more 


*  The  following  fact  should  be  remembered  by  such  as  are 
inclined  to  despair.  "When  the  celebrated  Mr.  Milne,  the 
missionary,  was  preaching,  not  long  before  he  left  England,  in 
the  pulpit  of  his  pastor,  Mr.  Cowie  of  Huntley,  an  old  man 
belonging  to  the  church  was  observed  to  weep  very  much.  On 
being  questioned  as  to  the  cause,  he  said,  'I  remember  the  day 
when  I  took  William  Milne  by  the  shoulders  and  turned  him  out 
of  the  Sunday  school,  for  his  inveterate  obstinacy  and  stupidity.' " 


118  MINISTRY   AND   TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

misty  upon  the  decided  distinction,  between  justification 
and  sanctification ;  and  the  relationship  which  they  bear, 
the  one  to  the  other.  Upon  all  this  we  ourselves  may 
be  perfectly  clear,  we  may  without  intending  so  to  do, 
almost  look  down  on  those  who  are  misty  and  confused ; 
it  is  one  of  those  cases  in  which  we  must  condescend ; 
milk  is  needed,  and  we  must  feed  with  milk,  and  not 
with  meat.  Or  the  ignorance  may  be  in  spiritual  practice. 
A  man  may  have  received  the  truth  in  his  head,  but  the 
measure  of  his  heart's  sanctification  may  be  small ;  the 
tone  of  his  spiritual  life  may  be  low ;  he  may  be  allowing 
himself  in  that,  which  we  consider  no  christian  man 
should ;  this  is  another  case  where  we  must  condescend. 
Our  duty,  under  such  circumstances,  is  to  teach  a  man 
what  is  better,  what  is  right ;  to  stoop  to  him,  to  enlighten 
his  ignorance,  and  not  to  despise  him,  or  pass  him  by, 
or  think  him  not  worth  teaching,  because  his  point  of 
attainment  is  so  far  beneath  oui'  own.  We  never  stoop 
to  bless  another,  without  picking  up  a  blessing  for  our- 
selves ;  we  can  never  water  without  being  watered ;  we 
can  never  teach  without  being  taught.  Here  again  Jesus 
comes  forward  as  an  example.  When  Philip  said  to 
Jesus,  "  Lord  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufnceth  us.'' 
Jesus  condescends  to  His  disciple's  ignorance  and  answers, 
"  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou 
not  known  Me,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen  Me  hath  seen 
the  Father;  and  how  sayest  thou  then  shew  us  the 
Father?"  John  xiv,  9.  When  the  sorrowing  disciples 
journeyed  with  Him  to  Emmaus,  they  said,  ^'  But  we 
trusted  that  it  hod  been  He  which  should  have  redeemed 
Israel ;  and  beside  all  this,  to  day  is  the  third  day  since 
these  things  were  done."      Then  He  condescended  to 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING.  119 

their  ignorance;  and  thongli  He  saia  unto  them,  ^^O 
fools  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that  the  prophets 
have  spoken.  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these 
things,  and  to  enter  into  His  glory  ?^'  still  He  fulfilled 
towards  them  His  ministry  of  teaching;  for,  "Beginning 
at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets.  He  expounded  unto  them 
in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning  Himself.^^ 
Luke  xxiv,  27. 

Let  this,  then,  encourage  us  to  condescend  to  teach  the 
rudiments,  the  alphabet  of  religion.  Let  this  induce  the 
preacher  of  the  gospel  to  take  up,  from  time  to  time,  the 
very  plainest  things ;  and  to  dwell  upon  the  first  princi- 
ples of  our  most  holy  faith ;  and  let  it  induce  the  man  of 
intellect,  or  the  man  of  spiritual  attainment,  not  to 
despise  an  humble  scholar,  whether  it  be  in  a  Sunday 
school,  or  in  a  cottage,  or  amongst  his  own  children  or 
servants  at  home.  If  his  Father  stoop  from  heaven, 
surely  he  may  stoop  on  earth ;  it  may  be  that  as  the 
Christian  rises  he  will  lift  up  some  fellow-Christian  from 
his  low  estate,  at  least  to  the  level  of  himself.  On  the 
day  of  his  death,  in  his  eightieth  year,  Elliott,  "the 
Apostle  of  the  Indians,"  was  found  teaching  the  alphabet 
to  an  Indian  child  at  his  bedside.  "  Why  not  rest  from 
your  labours  now?"  said  a  friend.  "Because,"  said 
the  venerable  man,  "  I  have  prayed  to  God  to  render  me 
useful  in  my  sphere.  He  has  heard  my  prayer ;  for  now 
that  I  can  no  longer  preach,  he  leaves  me  strength 
enough  to  teach  this  poor  child  his  alphabet." 

And  in  this  ministry  of  teaching,  let  us  be  willing 
often  to  go  back,  and  to  go  over  the  same  ground  again 
and  again.  In  many  cases  this  is  absolutely  necessary ; 
the  desired  effect  cannot  otherwise  be  produced.     This 


120  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

the  painter  has  to  do  with  his  pictures ;  this  the  husband- 
man has  to  do  with  his  cr.ops ;  this*  God  Himself  has 
done  with  us.  If  we  have  attained  to  anything,  has  it 
not  been  by  God^s  teaching  us  the  same  thing  over  and 
x>ver  again?  Have  we  not  continually  forgotten  even 
what  we  seemed  to  have  learned?  Has  He  not  had  to 
repeat  not  only  old  lessons  but  old  chastisements?  AlJ 
this  was  God^s  taking  pains  with  us ;  and  as  He  has  not 
thrown  us  off  in  our  stupidity,  we  must  not  throw  others 
off  in  theirs.  Their  precious  souls  are  worth  the  pains ; 
let  us  take  them  freely  and  patiently ;  perhaps  we  shall 
have  a  great  result.* 

Let  me  point  out  also  the  great  necessity  of  not  over- 
driving in  religious  knowledge.  There  are  many  who  can 
take  in  religious  knowledge  only  very  slowly ;  we  may 
force  them  on ;  we  may  give  them  a  head  knowledge  of 
great  and  even  deep  truths ;  but  they  will  be  like  a  house 
run  up  in  haste,  and  therefore  unsubstantial ;  they  will 
be  like  a  tree  forced  into  bearing  before  its  time,  and 
whose  fruit  is  not  natural;  they  will  be  Hke  a  child,  upon 
whose  weak   body  there  has  been  placed  a  load,  too 

*  John  Wesley's  home  education;  under  the  tutelage  of  his  pa- 
rents themselves,  was  peculiar,  and  well  calculated  to  initiate  Mm 
early  in  habits  of  order  and  perseverance  in  accomplishing  any 
object  he  might  undertake.  "Why,  my  dear,"  said  his  father 
to  his  mother,  while  patiently  teaching  one  of  their  children 
a  simple  lesson,  which  it  was  slow  to  learn,  "  why,  my  dear,  do 
yon  tell  that  dull  boy  the  same  thing  twenty  times  over?" 
"  Because,"  replied  the  other,  "  nineteen  times  won't  do.  If  I  tell 
him  but  nineteen  times  all  my  labour  is  lost,  but  the  twentieth 
secures  the  object!" 

Zeuxis  being  asked  why  he  was  so  long  about  a  picture, 
answered,  "  I  paint  foi'ctcririty." 


MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING.  121 

heavy  for  it  to  bear.  ^'  I  have  fed  you  with  milk,  (said 
the  Apostle,)  and  not  with  meat."  The  Apostle  followed 
the  example  of  his  Lord,  who  said  to  His  Apostles,  "  I 
have  yet  many  things  to  say  nnto  you,  but  ye  cannot 
bear  them  now." 

There  is  one  point  more  upon  which  it  will  be  well  to 
add  a  few  words,  i.  e.,  the  necessity  of  doing  the  Lord's 
work  fully ;  not  picking  and  choosing  as  ive  like,  but 
taking  it  as  He  presents  it  to  us. 

The  children  of  God  may  rest  assured,  that  the  Evil 
One  will  tempt  them  in  their  work,  when  he  cannot 
tempt  them  from  it ;  a  believer  may,  by  the  way  in  which 
he  does  work,  aiford  Satan  as  great  an  opportunity  of 
triumph,  as  if  he  had  stood  aloof  from  work  altogether. 

There  is  a  natural  tendency  in  the  heart  of  man,  to 
shrink  from  what  is  painful,  and  burdensome;  and  in 
almost  every  instance,  he  has  fancies  and  preferences, 
which  he  wishes  to  indulge;  this  tendency  and  these 
fancies  manifest  themselves  in  ministry  and  testimony^ 
especially  in  that  of  teaching.  The  minister  and  the 
district  visitor  may  shrink  from  visiting  the  disagreeable 
people  in  their  respective  paths  of  duty,  and  give  their 
attention  to  those  with  whom  it  may  be  pleasant  to  con- 
verse, and  from  whom,  in  point  of  fact,  they  may  learn 
much  themselves ;  the  Sunday  school  teacher  may  decline 
to  receive  into  her  class  some  stupid  or  unprepossessing 
child,  who  should  come  into  it  in  the  ordinary  routine  of 
the  schooFs  periodic  changes,  or,  perhaps  she  will  visit 
during  the  week  only  the  agreeable  children  or  agreeable 
parents,  or,  should  she  be  impelled,  by  a  strong  sense  of 
duty,  to  receive  the  undesired  child  into  her  class,  perhaps 
she  will  slur  over  her  duties  towards  her,  and  take  less 

M 


122  MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

pains  with  her  than  with  the  rest.  Again,  in  the  matter 
of  his  sermons,  the  minister  may  shrink  from  the  rough 
hard  work  of  dealing  with  unconverted  men ;  knowing 
well  that  distinctive  preaching  must  bring  with  it  ob- 
servation, if  not  opposition,  he  may  turn  to  a  class  of 
truths,  which  may  at  once  edify  the  godly  and  leave  the 
ungodly  untouched;  he  may  fall  into  that  dangerous 
system,  too  common  in  the  present  day,  of  calling  all, 
"  Christian  brethren,"  and  "  beloved  brethren,"  although 
they  may  be  well  known  to  be  living  in  open  and  daring 
sin ;  by  so  doing  he  is  following  his  own  choice  and  is 
not  doing  the  Lord's  work  fully,  he  is  choosing  for 
himself,  and  he  is  almost  certain  to  leave  that  in  which, 
perhaps  the  greatest  blessings  would  have  been  found. 

Had  we  the  energy  of  Whitfield  and  Hill,  and  such 
men,  displayed  in  the  present  day,  results  would  doubtless 
appear  akin  to  those  which  followed  their  ministry ;  but 
he  who  will  minister  thus,  must  expect  to  be  called  "  an 
enthusiast,"  "a  ranter,"  '"'^a  new  light,"  and  he  may 
consider  that  he  has  got  ofi"  well  if  this  be  all."^     The 

*  "  When  Pickthank  had  told  his  tale  "  against  Faithful,  in 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  "the  judge  directed  his  speech  to  the 
prisoner  at  the  har,  saying  *  Thou  runagate,  heretic,  and  traitor, 
hast  thou  heard  what  these  honest  gentlemen  have  witnessed 
against  thee  ? '  And  when  the  jury  went  out,  whose  names  were 
Mr.  Blindman,  Mr.  No-good,  Mr.  Malice,  Mr.  Love-lust,  Mr. 
Live-loose,  Mr.  Heady,  Mr.  High-mind,  Mr.  Enmity,  Mr.  Liar, 
Mr.  Cruelty,  Mr.  Hate-light,  and  Mr.  Implacable,  every  one  gave 
in  his  private  verdict  against  him  among  themselves,  and  after- 
wards unanimously  concluded  to  bring  him  in  guilty  before  the 
judge.  And  first  amongst  themselves  Mr.  Blindman  the  foreman, 
said,  I  see  clearly  that  this  man  is  a  heretic.  Then  said  Mr.  No- 
good,  away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth.     Ay,  said  Mr. 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING  123 

thin-skinned  preacher  will  bleed  at  every  scratch ;  and 
yet^  for  my  part,  I  have  always  found  those  men  most 
respected,  and  even  most  followed,  who  have  not  paid 
respect  to  any  person,  who  have  said  what  they  thought, 
and  nailed  their  colours  to  the  mast.  Even  the  world 
honours  consistency  and  courage,  and  the  plainest  speaker 
will  have,  in  general,  the  most  hearers.  The  only  part 
by  which  a  bull  can  be  safely  taken  is  by  the  horns. 

The  energy  of  manner  of  the  late  Rowland  Hill,  and 
the  power  of  his  voice,  are  said  to  have  been  at  times 
overwhelming.  While  once  preaching  at  Woottcn- 
under-Edge,  his  country  residence,  he  was  carried  away 
by  his  feelings,  arid,  raising  himself  to  his  full  height, 
exclaimed,  "  Beware,  I  am  in  earnest ;  men  call  me  an 
enthusiast,  but  I  am  not;  mine  are  the  words  of  truth 
and  soberness.  When  I  first  came  into  this  part  of  the 
country,  I  was  walking  on  yonder  hill;  I  saw  a  gravel 
pit  fall  in  and  bury  three  human  beings  alive.      I  lifted 


Malice,  for  I  hate  the  very  look  of  him.  Then  said  Mr.  Love- 
lust,  1  could  never  endure  him.  Nor  I,  said  Mr.  Live-loose,  for 
he  would  be  always  condemning  my  way.  Hang  him,  said  Mr. 
Heady.  A  sorry  scrub,  said  Mr.  High-mind.  My  heart  riseth 
against  him,  said  Mr  Enmity.  He  is  a  rogue,  said  Mr.  Liar. 
Hanging  is  too  good  for  him,  said  Mr.  Cruelty.  Let  us  despatch 
him  out  of  the  way,  said  Mr.  Hate-light.  Then  said  Mr.  Impla- 
cable, Might  I  have  all  the  world  given  me,  I  could  not  be 
reconciled  to  him ;  therefore  let  us  forthwith  bring  him  in  guilty 
of  death." 

Christians  who  are  in  testimony  for  God,  do  not  always  hear 
the  world's,  and  perhaps  their  own  ungodly  neighbours'  opinions 
of  them,  but  the  above  would  salute  their  ears  full  often,  if  men 
spoke  out  what  they  inwardly  think,  and  what  they  say  amongst 
themselves. 


124      MINISTRY  AND  TESTIMONY — TEACHING. 

up  my  voice  so  loud  tliat  I  was  heard  to  the  town  below, 
a  distance  of  a  mile.  Help  came^  and  rescued  two  of  the 
poor  sufferers.  No  one  caUed  me  an  enthusiast  then; 
and  when  I  see  eternal  destruction  ready  to  fall  upon 
poor  sinners^  and  about  to  entomb  them  irrevocably 
in  an  eternal  mass  of  woe^  and  call  on  them  to  escape  by 
repenting  and  fleeing  to  Christy  shall  I  be  called  an 
enthusiast?  No^  sinner_,  I  am  not  an  enthusiast  in  so 
doing."*^  A  shipbuilder  on  being  asked  what  he  thought 
of  Whitfield^  replied^  '^'^  Every  Sunday  that  I  go  to  my 
parish  church  I  can  build  a  ship  from  stem  to  stem 
under  the  sermon ;  but  under  Mr.  Whitfield  I  could  not 
lay  a  single  plank .^^ 

In  all  ministry,  whether  its  special  development  be 
teaching,  or  anything  else,  Christ  Jesus  is  to  be  our 
example.  And  what  is  the  example  which  He  sets  us 
here?  Jesus  did  his  Father's  work  fully;  He  shrank 
from  no  part  of  it ;  He  did  not  decline  any  portion  of  it ; 
He  came  into  contact  with  sinners ;  yea.  He  died  with 
one  on  the  right  hand,  and  another  on  the  left.  If  any 
one  was  warranted  in  declining  contact  with  the  sinner, 
that  ONE,  assuredly,  was  Christ.  Sin  was  to  Him  essen- 
tially odious ;  odious  in  a  way  in  which  it  never  can  be 
to  us ;  we  cannot  know  its  depths — He  did ;  we  cannot 
detect  the  individuals  in  whom  its  worst  developments 
are  dwelling — He  knew  them  as  soon  as  they  came  near 
Him;  moreover,  our  nature  being  sinful  in  itself,  does 
not  recoil  instinctively,  as  His  did,  when  evil  is  at  hand. 
The  presence  of  sin  was  suffering  to  Him — it  is  not 
always  so  to  us ;  the  presence  of  sin  could  not  lie  hidden 
from  Him — it  may  be  wholly  undetected  by  us.  When 
we  think  of  all  this,  and  then,  that  the  testimony  con- 


MINISTRY   AND    TESTIMONY — TEACHING.  125 

cerning  Him  was,  "  This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and 
eateth  with  them/^  how  can  we  pretend  to  be  in  ministry, 
after  his  example,  and  yet  act  altogether  differently  from 
the  way  in  which  He  did. 

Jesus  never  shrank  from  any  sinner,  when  He  could 
minister  to  him  in  teaching.  True  !  He  left  the  Pharisees, 
and  Sadducees,  and  Scribes,  and  such  like  cavillers,  who 
wanted  to  gainsay,  and  not  to  be  taught ;  but  He  went 
out  into  the  highways  of  life ;  He  conversed  with  the 
worst  He  found  there,  and  invited  them  to  come  in. 
Zaccheus  found  Jesus  willing  to  look  upon  him;  the 
Samaritan  woman  found  him  willing  to  converse  with 
her ;  and  again,  and  again,  did  He  retm'n  to  minister  to, 
and  to  teach  the  crowd;  to  bear  with  the  captious 
questions  of  some,  with  the  hard  unbelief  and  pitiless 
scorn  of  others.  How  could  He  have  been  the  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief,  if  He  had  so  chosen 
His  path  in  life,  as  not  to  touch  one  piercing  thorn,  or 
tread  upon  one  rough  edged  stone  ? 

And  as  Jesus  did,  so  did  His  apostles  also.  They 
verily  did  not  pretend  to  choose  the  smooth;  they 
certainly  did  not  pretend  to  avoid  the  rough.  Had  they 
done  so,  they  need  not  have  gone  through  their  great 
fight  of  afflictions ;  we  may  also  add,  their  ministry  would 
have  been  without  its  glorious  results. 

Common  observation  ought  to  teach  us,  how  impossible 
it  is  to  avoid  the  rough,  if  we  would  succeed  in  any  great 
enterprize.  No  conqueror  brings  to  a  successful  issue 
the  war  in  which  he  is  engaged,  without  encountering 
many  difficulties ;  and  those,  over  and  above  what  he  has 
to  meet  on  the  field  of  bloody  strife  itself.  No  sailor 
can  bring  his  vessel  to  port,  after  a  long  voyage,  without 

M  2 


126  MINISTRY    AND    TESTIMONY TEACHING. 

having  had  to  weather  some  storms,  and  reef  his  sails  in 
some  tempestuous  gales.      The  shopkeeper,  in  his  daily- 
transactions  of  business,  has  to  take  the  rough  with  the 
smooth;    the  artizan  must  do  the  same,  even  with  the 
material  upon  which  he  works.      Shall  the  Christian  be 
the  only  one  who  is  exempted  from  all  rough  work,  and 
who  is  not  to  be  called  upon  for  an  exercise  of  patience 
and  of  skiU  ?     Let  the  Christian  know  that  much  of  this 
rough  work  from  which  he  shrinks,  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  his  souFs  health.      Carefully  refined  food,  would  be 
deleterious  to  the  body ;    and  God  has  mixed  the  coarse 
and   fine,  in  due  proportions,  so   that   both,  together, 
nourish  and  expand  the  frame ;    and  so,  carefully  refined 
circumstances,  and  spheres  of  action,  would  be  deleterious 
to  the  soul,  and  God  has  mingled  the  rough  and  smooth ; 
and  he  who  takes  them,  as  God  gives  them,  will  be  robust 
in  his  spiritual  frame,  and  well  developed  in  all  the  graces 
of  the  soul.    For  our  own  sakes,  then,  dear  reader,  let  us 
not  reject  anything  whereunto  we  are  called;    let  us  not 
look  for  fancy  spheres  of  duty,  fancy  school   children, 
fancy  sick  people,  fancy  poor  people ;   picked  cases  for 
our  convenience,  or,  to  speak  more  plainly,  for  our  sloth ; 
rather  let  us  be  prepared  to  endure  hardness,  for  Christ ; 
let  us  simply  ask  that  our  sphere,  and  all  in  it,  be  allotted 
by  the  one  whose  we  are,  and  whom  we  wish  to  serve; 
and  let  us  go  forth  to  fill  it,  saying  determinately,  in  the 
strength  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  I  will." 


127 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Irager. 


Psalm  xxviii,  1.  "  Unto  TJiee  tvill  I  cry,  O  Lord,  my  rock,  he 
not  silent  to  me  ;  lest,  if  Thou  he  silent  to  me,  I  become  like  them 
that  go  down  into  the  pit." 

Psalm  Iv,  16,  17.  "  As  for  me,  I  will  call  upon  God,  and  the 
Lord  shall  save  me ;  evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I 
pray  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice." 

Psalm  Ixi,  2.  "From  the  end  of  the  earth  will  I  cry  unto  Thee, 
wheti  my  heart  is  overwhelmed :  lead  me  to  the  rock  that  is  higher 
than  /." 

Psalm  Ixiii,  1.  "  O  God,  Thou  art  my  God,  early  will  T  seek 
Thee  ;  my  soul  thirsteth  for  Thee,  my  flesh  longeth  for  Thee,  in  a 
dry  and  thirsty  land  where  no  water  is." 

Psalm  Ixxxvi,  7.  "  Ln  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  will  call  upon 
Thee,^  for  Thou  wilt  answer  me." 

Psalm  cxxi,  1.  "  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from 
whence  cometh  my  help." 

¥E  hear  much^  we  see  much  of  the  mighty  powers 
which  God  has  put  into  the  hands  of  man^  as 
regards  the  natural  world.  Wheresoever  we  turn,  we 
find  ourselves  surrounded  with  the  evidences  of  this 
power  in  construction,  in  invention,  and  in  imitation. 
Scarce  a  day  passes,  in  which  we  are  not  presented  with 


128  PRAYER. 

sometliing  whicL.  lias  more  or  less  of  the  claims  of 
novelty ;  with  some  new  discovery_,  or  else  some  applica- 
tion or  combination  of  powers  already  known.  To  this, 
man  is  not  blind ;  he  appreciates,  he  uses  each  new  and 
mighty  engine,  as  it  is  presented  to  him  :  and  whether  it 
be  chloroform,  to  blunt  the  acuteness  of  his  pain;  or 
electricity,  to  flash  his  messages  to  the  ends  of  the 
world ;  or  steam,  to  whirl  him  over  the  earth^s  surface, 
and  do  in  his  factories  the  work  of  thousands  of  hands ; 
he  hears,  sees,  speaks  about_,  and  uses  the  mighty  powers 
which  God  has  put  within  his  reach. 

We  hear  but  little,  however,  of  the  mighty  powers 
which  God  has  put  into  man's  hands,  so  far  as  the 
spiritual  world  is  concerned.  The  prevailing  aspect  of 
God's  people  is  one  of  weakness,  often  one  of  despond- 
ency ;  they  feel  the  pressure  of  the  world,  they  see 
difficulties  to  be  overcome,  they  realize  their  own  inherent 
weakness — there  is  much  despondency,  by  reason  of  the 
realization  of  their  own  feebleness ;  there  is  little  vigour, 
by  reason  of  the  non-realization  of  the  mighty  efficacy 
of  faith  and  prayer. 

Faith  and  Prayer !  Could  we  but  realize,  and  put  into 
operation,  the  powers  contained  in  these,  the  two  great 
forces  of  the  spiritual  world,  we  should,  in  our  collective 
and  individual  capacity,  be  very  different  from  what  we 
are ;  we  should  know  and  feel  that  we  had  the  key  of 
heaven's  treasure,  and  the  lever  of  heaven's  strength; 
we  should  "  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
His  might,"  we  should  be  prepared  for  great  deeds,  both 
of  action  and  resistance,  in  the  spiritual  life ;  we  should 
never  dream  of  failure,  we  should  never  miss  real  success 
The  Lord  give  you,  dear  reader,  power  in  prayer. 


PRAYER.  129 

Now,  first  of  all,  it  will  be  encouraging  to  note  some 
of  the  Scripture  statements,  which  show  the  power  that 
God  has  linked  to  prayer. 

"  Elias  was  a  man  subject  to  like  passions  as  we  are, 
and  he  prayed  earnestly  that  it  might  not  rain ;  and  it 
rained  not  on  the  earth  by  the  space  of  three  years  and 
six  months/'     James  v,  17. 

^'  Elijah  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  said,  O  Lord  my 
God,  hast  Thou  also  brought  evil  upon  the  widow  with 
whom  I  sojourn,  by  slaying  her  son?  And  he  stretched 
himself  upon  the  child  three  times,  and  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  and  said,  O  Lord  my  God,  I  pray  Thee  let  this 
child's  soul  come  into  him  again.  And  the  Lord  heard 
the  voice  of  Elijah;  and  the  soul  of  the  child  came  into 
him  again."     1  Kings  xvii,  20 — 22. 

'^  Asa  cried  unto  the  Lord  his  God,  and  said.  Lord,  it 
is  nothing  with  Thee  to  help,  whether  with  many,  or  with 
them  that  have  no  power :  help  us,  O  Lord  our  God ;  for 
we  rest  on  Thee,  and  in  Thy  name  we  go  against  this 
multitude.  O  Lord,  Thou  art  our  God;  let  not  man 
prevail  against  Thee.  So  the  Lord  smote  the  Ethiopians 
before  Asa,  and  before  Judah ;  and  the  Ethiopians  fled.'' 
2  Chron.  xiv,  11,  12. 

"  Jabez  caUed  on  the  God  of  Israel,  saying,  O  that 
Thou  wouldst  bless  me  indeed,  and  enlarge  my  coast, 
and  that  Thine  hand  might  be  with  me,  and  that  Thou 
wouldst  keep  me  from  evil,  that  it  may  not  grieve  me. 
And  God  granted  him  that  which  he  requested." 
1  Chron.  iv,  10. 

^^  The  angel  said  unto  Zacharias,  Fear  not,  Zacharias, 
for  thy  prayer  is  heard;  and  thy  wife  Elizabeth  shall 
bear  thee  a  sou."     Luke  i,  13. 


130  PRAYER. 

"  Then  shall  ye  call  upon  Me,  and  ye  shall  go  and  pray 
unto  Me,  and  I  will  hearken  unto  you.  And  ye  shall 
seek  Me,  and  find  Me,  when  ye  shall  search  for  Me  with 
all  your  heart.  And  I  will  be  found  of  you,  saith  the 
Lord :  and  I  will  turn  away  your  captivity,  and  I  will 
gather  you  from  all  the  nations,  and  from  all  the  places 
whither  I  have  driven  you,  saith  the  Lord;  and  I  will 
bring  you  again  into  the  place  whence  I  caused  you  to 
be  carried  away  captive.^^     Jer.  xxix,  12 — 14. 

^^And  he  said,  O  Lord  God  of  my  master  Abraham, 
I  pray  Thee,  send  me  good  speed  this  day,  and  shew 
kindness  unto  my  master  Abraham.  Behold  I  stand  by 
the  well  of  water  ^  -5^  -5^  and  let  it  come  to  pass,  that 
the  damsel  to  whom  1  shall  say,  '  let  down  thy  pitcher,  I 
pray  thee,  that  1  may  drink ; '  and  she  shall  say,  ^  drink^ 
and  I  will  give  thy  camels  drink  also :  ^  let  the  same  be 
she  that  Thou  hast  appointed  for  Thy  servant  Isaac ;  and 
thereby  shall  1  know  that  Thou  hast  shewed  kindness 
unto  my  master.  And  it  came  to  pass,  before  he  had  done 
speaking,  that  Rebekah  came  out,^^  &c.  Gen.xxiv,  12 — 15. 

These  are  some  examples  of  the  power  of  prayer,  but 
Scripture  might  be  said  to  teem  with  them  in  almost 
every  page. 

Wonderful,  indeed,  is  what  can  be  done  by  prayer. 
By  it  the  hungry  have  been  fed,  and  the  naked  clothed, 
and  the  sick  healed ;  heaven  has  been  unlocked,  and  hell 
shut  up :  by  it  God's  people  have  been  strengthened, 
and  their  enemies  weakened ;  brands,  half  burnt,  have 
been  plucked  from  the  fire;  and  difficulties,  otherwise 
insurmountable,  have  been  overcome  :  great  battles  have 
been  won  by  it;  great  loads  have  been  moved  by  it; 
^reat  burdens  have  been  sustained  by  it;  and  yet,  is  it 


PRAYER.  131 

not  wonderful,,  that^  although  we  know  all  this^  we  often 
have  to  drag  ourselves  to  prayer^  and  feel  listless  and 
heartless  when  on  our  knees.  Satan  knows  the  power  of 
prayer^  and  doubtless  does  all  he  can  to  weaken  us  in  it, 
to  make  it  a  burden  to  us.  Good  need  has  the  man  of 
God  to  make  a  determination^  and  say  ^^  I  will/' 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  a  few  words  upon  the 
nature  of  the  prayer  on  which  we  are  now  about  to  dwell. 

How  comes  a  man  to  pray  at  all  ?  '  The  light  of  nature ' 
will  teach  a  man  to  pray.  Some  pray  to  the  sun  and 
moon,  some  to  the  devil,  some  to  angels  and  saints,  and 
to  the  virgin  Mary ;  with  scarce  an  exception,  all  mem- 
bers of  the  human  family  have  some  object  to  which 
they  pray.  But  in  addition  to  this,  the  teaching  of  the 
light  of  nature,  there  is  '  the  teaching  of  parents.'  We 
are  from  our  infancy  taught  to  pray ;  almost  all  of  us,  as 
soon  as  we  are  able  to  lisp  anything,  begin  to  say  some 
form  of  prayer.  Advanced  as  the  reader  may  now,  per- 
haps, be  in  life,  he  may  possibly  remember  the  time  when 
he  knelt  at  his  mother^  s  knee,  and  uttered,  after  her,  the 
first  petitions  which  he  addressed  to  the  throne  of  grace. 
How  often  do  these  early  memories  cling  to  us,  when  the 
intervening  events  of  life  fade  and  pass  away  ! 

I  would  address  a  word  or  two  to  mothers,  upon  this 
all  important  subject,  of  their  children's  prayers.  We 
continually  find  children  taught  a  certain  form  of  prayer, 
which  they  unvaryingly  repeat,  morning  and  evening; 
and  which  only,  too  often,  becomes  a  mere  matter  of 
repetition,  a  form  of  words.  This  may  be,  this,  doubt- 
less, is  J  productive  of  mischievous  consequences ;  a  child 
becomes  insensibly  a  mere  piece  of  machinery,  performing 


132  PRAYER. 

its  accustomed  round  of  work;  or  a  parrot  repeating 
certain  sentences  which  it  does  not  understand.  That  a 
child  should  in  part  be  taught  what  to  say_,  is  very  right ; 
but  the  evil  consists  in  confining  it  to  the  form.  Let  us 
remember  that  a  child  lives  in  a  perfect  little  world  of  its 
own ;  that  it  has  its  griefs  and  joys,  which  are  as  real  as 
our  own — as  important  to  it,  as  ours  are  to  us ;  it  has  its 
little  wants,  desires,  and  fears ;  and  to  repress  its  prayers 
on  all  these  subjects,  and  turn  them  into  another  channel, 
is  to  introduce  the  leaven  of  unreality,  into  the  very 
l)eginning  of  its  spiritual  life.  Let  prayer,  above  all 
things,  be  real ;  let  a  child  mean  what  it  says ;  let  it 
have  an  interest  in  the  prayer  it  offers  up ;  let  it  not  be 
forced  to  say  prayers  about  things  which  it  cannot  under- 
stand, and  in  which  it  cannot  possibly  take  any  interest. 
For  my  own  part,  I  should  much  rather  hear  my  child 
pray  to  God,  with  all  her  heart,  that  to-morrow  might 
be  a  fine  day,  so  that  she  may  be  able  to  enjoy  an 
expected  treat,  than  to  hear  her  utter  some  words  about 
the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  or  a  similar  subject, 
which,  from  her  age,  she  could  not  possibly  understand. 

If  I  might  make  a  suggestion  to  parents  upon  this 
subject,  I  would  say,  when  your  child  has  uttered  its 
simple  form  of  prayer,  every  word  of  which  you  should 
take  care  that  it  understands,  not  only  permit,  but 
encourage  it  to  offer  up  prayer  to  God  in  its  own  words, 
and  about  its  own  interests.  Do  not  be  shocked,  or 
offended,  if  the  request  be  about  a  tsifle ;  remember  that 
trifles  are  the  great  events  of  a  child's  life;  a  broken 
wheel  of  a  little  cart  is  as  important  to  it,  as  the  breaking 
of  a  bank  may  be  to  you.  Because  the  child  is  a  child, 
its  little  sorrows  are  real  to  it ;  let  its  prayers  be  real  to ; 


PRAVER.  13'' 


then  it  will  grow  up  with  a  real  interest  in  prayer ;  it  wi  1 
look  upon  praver  as  a  practical  working  thing;  it  wil  , 
in  all  probability,  escape  much  of  that  formalism  which 
is  so  detrimental,  so  dangerous  to  the  soul.  A  parent 
will  of  course,  shew  a  child  when,  and  where  its  petitions 
are  not  right;  but,  above  all  things,  take  care  that  the 
child  understands.  . 

'Conventional  habit'  has  also  something  to  do  w.tli 
praver.  Public  worship,  and  family  worship,  and  morning 
and  evening  prayer,  are,  to  a  certain  extent  customary; 
thus  people  get  into  what  might  be  called  the  routine  of 
saying  prayers;  and  this  "prayer  saying"  is  often,  on  y 
too  like  any  of  the  other  customs  of  daily  li  e;  it  would 
be  missed  because  it  is  a  custom;  it  would  be  missed 
from  the  outer,  but  not  from  the  inner  life  of  man. 

It  will  be  readily  understood  that  it  is  not  such  prayer  we 
have  now  to  consider.    That  which  alone  is  worthy  of  the 
name  of  prayer,  is  something  widely  different ;  it  is  the 
fruit  of  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  within  the  hear  ; 
it  is  a  reality  derived  from  personal  need ;  it  is  soul  work 
And  what  are  we  to  say  of  such  prayer  as  this  i     Is  it 
not  that  the  child  of  God  has,  very  often,  to  put  a  holy 
violence  upon  himself,  to  bring  himself  thus  to  pray.    It 
may  seem  anomalous,  but  so  it  is ;  the  Christian  has  often 
to  be  very  determined  with  himself,  to  bring  himself  to 
his  knees,  to  make  him  avail  himself  of  the  privileges 
and  blessing  of  prayer.    It  may  not  be  amiss  to  consider, 
a  little  more  at  large,  these  impediments  of  which  we 
have  to  complain. 

The  first  to  be  noticed  is 

Natural  Inaptitude.     By  nature  we  are  unapt  to  pray, 
we  have  no  natural  drawings  to  this  holy  exercise,  we 


131  PRAYER. 

turn  against  it.  How  often  have  we  experienced  this 
inaptitude  ourselves?  our  souls  have  been  as  sickly  and 
disinclined  for  prayer,  as  the  body  often  is  sickly  and 
disinclined  for  food ;  we  have  turned  from  \t,  happy  are 
we  if  we  have  not  turned  against  it.  It  is  by  no  means 
uncommon  to  hear  true  Christian  people  complain,  that 
for  many  days  they  have  not  been  really  able  to  pray. 
They  knew  not  why,  they  could  not  even  guess  why; 
but  their  hearts  were  dull  and  cold,  and  refused  to 
respond  to  anything  save  the  stern  command  of  duty. 
All  this  is  lamentable,  no  one  laments  it  more  than  the 
Christian  himself;  experience,  however,  shews  us  that  it 
is  true,  and  Natural  Inaptitude  must  be  numbered 
amongst  our  serious  impediments  to  prayer. 

To  know  this,  may  be  in  itself  of  no  inconsiderable 
value  to  the  striving,  and  perhaps  sorrowing,  child  of 
God.  Instead  of  going  to  pray  in  his  own  strength,  and 
expecting  the  power  of  prayer  to  keep  alive  within  him, 
simply  from  his  own  habit  of  praying,  the  Christian 
will  say  ^^I  need  continual  influencings  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  I  need  an  energy  which  will  counterbalance  the 
inertium  of  my  own  nature,  I  need  a  gift  of  prayer,  I 
need  something  above  nature,  even  springs  and  impulses 
from  heaven.^'  It  is  under  the  blessed  influences  of 
such  impulses,  that  we  shall  say  ''  I  will,"  in  this  matter 
of  prayer,  and  not  only  say  it,  but  act  it  also.  We  shall 
pray,  despite  our  dull  heavy  natures ;  we  shall  rise  above 
the  weight  of  the  flesh  and  all  belonging  to  it,  its  dull 
and  heavy  inertium  will  be  overcome. 

Some  there  are  who  are  often  kept  from  prayer  by 
the  great  difficulty  they  experience  in  putting  their 
thoughts  into  the  form  of  words.      This  inaptitude  is 


PRAYER.  135 

used  by  the  Evil  One^  to  act  upon  the  soul;  and  further 
his  designs  with  reference  to  increasing  the  difficulty  of 
prayer.  Men  are  ashamed  of  the  poverty  of  their 
language^  they  are  oppressed  with  the  difficulty  of  clothing 
their  ideas,  and  so  they  are  often  restrained  from  prayer. 
Now  as  God  does  not  look  at  a  man's  clothes,  but  at  the 
man  himself,  so  he  looks  not  at  the  words,  but  at  the 
ideas  and  feelings,  of  a  man^s  prayer;  be  the  words 
never  so  poor  He  will  understand  them.  He  will  never 
misunderstand  them. 

Some  years  ago,  one  of  the  North  American  Indians, 
a  chief,  visited  our  country,  and  at  several  large  meetings 
told  his  story.  That  story  was  given  in  something  like 
the  following  words  : — 

^'  I  was  a  worshipper  of  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  stars, 
some  fourteen  years  ago,  when  I  heard  a  missionary 
preach  of  a  beautiful  heaven,  into  which,  he  said,  all  the 
righteous  should  enter,  and  of  a  dreadful  hell,  into 
which  all  the  wicked  must  be  cast.  I  asked,  '  Is  there 
any  chance  of  a  Chippewa  Indian  getting  to  heaven?' 
I  was  told,  '  Oh  yes,  heaven  is  open  to  all  who  believe  in 
Jesus,  God's  Son,  if  we  come  through  Him  we  shal 
find  a  warm  welcome  and  a  ready  entrance.'  I  was  glad 
at  this,  for  my  sins  began  to  trouble  me ;  I  was  like  one 
of  our  Indian  deer,  when  it  is  shot  by  the  hunter;  it 
flies  over  the  hills  and  prairies  until  it  becomes  weary 
with  its  exertions  and  faint  with  loss  of  blood;  it  falls 
down,  and  turns  first  on  one  side,  and  then  on  the  other 
side,  and  at  last  it  dies.  Thus  it  was  with  me,  the  pain  in 
my  heart  rankled  sorely,  and  I  could  get  no  rest  from  its 
smart.  But  I  prayed  to  God :  however,  I  thought  God 
would  only  hear  me  if  I  prayed  to  Him  in  the  English 


136  PRAYER. 

language.  I  did  not  know  much  English^  but  I  said, 
^Oh  Christ,  have  mercy  upon  me,  poor  sinner,  poor 
Indian.'  About  that  time  I  was  asked  out  to  dine. 
Before  dinner  a  blessing  was  asked  in  the  English  lan- 
guage, '^Ah,'  I  thought,  'God  understands  that;'  but 
after  dinner,  thanks  were  returned  in  the  Chippewa 
language,  and  I  thought,  'If  God  understands  your 
Chippewa,  He  will  understand  mine.'  I  went  home,  I 
crept  up  into  a  little  hayloft,  and  in  my  native  tongue,  I 
poured  out  my  heart  before  the  Lord,  I  said  with  Jacob, 
'  Oh  Christ,  I  will  not  let  Thee  go  except  Thou  bless  me,' 
and  before  the  day  broke,  my  heart  was  full  of  joy 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  The  results  of  this 
prayer  we  cannot  omit.  ''  I  then  strove  to  make  known 
to  my  fellow-men  the  blessedness  of  the  Gospel  I  had 
received,  I  established  a  school,  and,  among  other  scholars, 
I  had  thirty  married  women,  who  taught  their  husbands 
at  night  what  they  had  learned  during  the  day.  I  had, 
however,  but  one  spelling  book  and  one  Testament. 
My  spelling  book  I  took  to  pieces  and  gave  a  leaf  to 
each  scholar,  my  Bible  was  passed  from  hand  to  hand. 
Our  progress  was  very  slow,  so  I  thought  I  would  come 
to  the  country  whence  the  Bibles  came,  to  look  out  for 
help.  And  now,  my  dear  friends,  I  have  told  my  tale, 
and  I  want  to  ask  you  if  you  will  give  me  some 
Bibles  and  spelling  books  to  take  back  to  my  dear 
children." 

The  response  of  the  hall  to  this  appeal  was,  "  We  will ! 
we  will!"  And  soon  afterwards,  freighted  with  a  large 
supply,  the  Indian  went  back  to  his  own  country,  and 
lived  and  laboured  for  Christ.  In  "The  Times'"  obituary 
there  subsequently  appeared  the  following  brief  record  of 


PRAYER. 


137 


his  death ;  '"'■  Died,  in  North  West  America,  (on  such  a 
day)  Peter  Jones,  missionary  and  chief/^ 

Inherent  Unbelief  is  another  sore  impediment  to  prayer. 
Now  it  might  seem  strange  to  speak  of  this,  in  connection 
with  the  children  of  God.  If  they  be  not  behevers, 
v/ho  are  ?  if  they  have  not  faith,  who  has  ?  They 
undoubtedly  have  faith,  and  in  that  faith,  they  live ;  but 
with  faith  enough  for  eternal  life,  there  exist,  also, 
remnants  enough  of  unbelief,  to  vex  and  keep  back  the 
believer's  soul,  in  a  thousand  ways.  Unbelief  many  a 
time  keeps  the  believer  from  the  throne  of  grace;  he 
wants  something  which  he  knows  God  can  give  him; 
but  he  has  not  that  faith  which  can  make  him  ask  for  it 
joyfully,  because  believingly,  upon  his  knees.  Oh  !  if  we 
had  a  living,  ever  present,  full,  rich  faith,  with  what  joy 
should  we  often  pray !  We  should  be  sure  of  being 
heard;  we  should  go  to  our  knees  in  the  full  expectation 
of  being  about  to  receive  some  good  thing.  What  keeps 
lis  back  from  large  petitions?  What  makes  ns  pray 
with  that  feeling  of  insecurity,  which  causes  wavering  in 
prayer;  which  makes  us  think  that  we  are  as  unlikely, 
as  likely,  to  get  what  we  desire?  It  is  the  remnant  of 
imbelief.  This  unbelief  takes  the  life  out  of  many  of 
our  prayers .  it  shakes  us,  and  gives  us  that  feeling  of 
■uncertainty,  which  damps  our  earnestness ;  it  makes  our 
hand  too  unsteady  to  lay  hold  of,  and  to  bear  away  a  full 
cup  of  blessing.  And,  many  a  time,  it  keeps  us  from 
praying  at  all.  Because  we  are  not  sure  of  God's  answer- 
ing us ;  of  course  as  he  thinks  best,  but  nevertheless  of 
answering,  we  are  daunted  from  trying,  and  unbelief 
gradually  works  its  way,  until  it  passes  from  the  point  in 
hand,  to  other  things  also,  and  does  us  amazing  hurt. 


138  PRAYER. 

Must  we  not  meet  this  unbelief  with  a  brave  and 
determined  "I  will;^'  must  we  not  meet  it  with  a  full 
resolution  to  act  against  it  ?  Surely,  it  does  not  become 
the  Christian,  to  succumb  to  this  unbelief;  to  let  it 
triumph  over  him ;  to  let  it  keep  him  from  prayer,  by 
which  alone  the  desired  blessing  is  to  be  had;  let  him 
now  nerve  himself  for  conflict;  let  him  prepare  himself 
to  act,  in  spite  of  his  unbelief;  and  coming  determinately 
to  prayer,  in  prayer  he  shall  receive  fresh  strength ;  in 
it  his  faith  will  grow,  and  the  victory  shall  be  obtained. 
There  are  remnants  of  unbelief,  in  the  holiest  of  the 
saints  of  God,  clinging  to  them  even  to  the  last;  and, 
as  they  mount  higher  and  higher  in  their  desires,  seeking 
more  and  more  from  God,  these  remnants  will  endeavour 
to  work  hindrance  to  the  spirit  in  its  flights,  and  will  call 
forth  the  believer's  determined  "  I  will." 

We  must  not  suppose  that  unbelief  is  easily  beaten 
out  of  the  field ;  it  will  try  and  hurt,  so  long  as  we  are 
at  this  side  of  the  grave.  And  it  is  well  for  us  to  be  on 
our  guard,  with  reference  to  this,  for  we  are  liable  to  be 
deceived ;  even  our  very  progress  in  faith  may  be  used, 
by  unbelief,  to  work  out  its  own  ends. 

The  course  of  its  proceeding  will  probably  be  this. 
We  have  attained  to  a  certain  measure  of  belief  in 
prayer — we  can  pray  for  certain  classes  of  things,  fully 
believing  that  God  will  answer  our  prayer — we  are  happy 
in  that  faith — we  enjoy  the  comfort  of  it;  and  in  doing 
so,  will  scarce  believe  that  there  is  unbelief  still  within  our 
heart.  But,  suddenly  we  are  taken  out  of  our  accustomed 
beat  and  sphere  in  prayer;  2^  fresh  class  of  subjects  comes 
before  us;  perhaps  they  involve  our  making  larger 
requests  of  God,  than  have  ever  hitherto  been  the  case; 


PRAYER.  139 

perhaps  these  requests  require  more  immediate  answers^ 
thau  any  we  have  ever  hitherto  preferred ;  they  bring  us 
more  quickly  i'o  a  point ;  they  lead  us  into  subjects  in 
which  there  is  not  so  much  likelihood  of  an  answer  as 
there  was  in  more  ordinary  things.  Now  we  see  how 
much  unbelief  clings  around  us  still ;  how,  the  moment 
our  faith  is  led  out  of  its  accustomed  beat,  and  made  to 
stand  upon  its  own  resources,  upon  its  inherent  vitality 
and  strength,  it  begins  to  waver;  it  is  good  to  be 
creatures  of  habit,  in  faith,  but  we  must  be  something 
more  also,  or  in  sudden  emergencies,  in  all  higher  flights, 
we  shall  fail. 

Thus,  when  we  think  well  of  our  faith  in  prayer,  we 
become  tried,  and  are  found  to  come  short ;  and  hence, 
dear  reader,  the  necessity  for  a  stern,  and  determined 
'^  I  will/'  '^  It  is  no  use  to  pray  about  such  and  such  a 
thing/'  says  unbelief;  "I  will,''  says  the  man  of  God; 
and  then,  the  battle  with  unbelief  brings  down  upon 
the  knees ;  prayer  after  prayer,  is  troubled  and  weakened 
by  it;  but  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  the  battle  is 
fought,  and  the  day  is  won.  After  this  the  Christian,  in  all 
probability,  stands  on  ground  higher  than  any  on  which 
he  ever  stood  before;  and  is  found  not  only  to  have 
gained  a  victory  in  conflict,  but  also  to  have  accumulated 
strength  for  some  more  stern  combat,  yet  to  come. 

The  natural  tendency  to  do  the  most  for  ourselves, 
independently  of  God,  is  another  great  impediment  to 
prayer ;  for  prayer  is  an  acknowledgment  of  dependence ; 
and  from  this  cause,  also,  the  Christian  is  summoned  to 
prepare  himself  to  utter  a  determined  "  I  will." 

An  attempt  at  independence,  was  the  ruin  of  our 
forefather  Adam ;    and  it  has  ruined  many  of  his  sons. 


140  PRAYER. 

Independence  of  God  is  one  development  of  pride ;  and 
oftentimes,  almost  unknown  to  the  believer,  exists  in  him, 
to  a  greater  or  less  degree.  "  I  am  rich,  and  increased 
with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing,"  is  often  said  by 
one,  who,  in  the  estimation  of  Christ,  is  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked.     Rev.  iii,  17. 

We  can  easily  understand,  how  a  believer  needs  some 
degree  of  watchfulness  over  himself,  in  order  to  keep 
his  heart  determinately  in  a  prayerful  state.  We  are 
required,  while  in  the  flesh,  to  act — we  have  to  think 
how  to  act — we  have  to  follow,  in  our  minds,  the  results 
of  action — we  have  to  appear,  as  prominent  actors  in  the 
scenes  of  life ;  and  we  have  to  do  with  others,  who  are 
tangible  actors  also ;  moreover,  we  have  natural  energies, 
and  judgment ;  and  we  have  appliances  at  hand,  and  so 
forth ;  and  the  natural  tendency  of  all  these  is,  to  make 
us  busy  in  them,  and  in  our  efforts  to  help  ourselves,  and 
while  thus  engaged,  to  forget  how  much  we  need  to  be 
helped  by  God. 

There  is  something  very  sweet  to  the  natural  man,  in 
independence ;  and  in  so  far  as  the  Christian  has  remnants 
of  the  natural  man,  thus  far  will  independence  be  sweet 
to  him.  Satan,  who  is  ever  ready  to  ground  a  temptation 
to  evil  upon  a  good  foundation,  or  at  least,  upon  one 
seemingly  good,  is  prepared  to  do  so  here.  He  says, 
^^Why  carry  all  those  trumpery  little  things  to  God?" 
he  says,  "  God  meant  you  to  help  yourself,  why  don't  you 
do  so?"  and  he  adds  a  great  deal  more  of  the  same 
stamp.  Of  course  he  never  tells  us  that  God  is  our 
Father,  and  interested  in  the  most  minute  of  our  affairs ; 
nor  does  he  tell  us,  that  He  never  intended  us  to  put  the 
machinery  of  life  in  the  place  of  Himself,  the  great 


PRAYEK.  141 

living,  guiding  power ;  nor,  tliat  acting  without  Him  will 
soon  lead  us  to  acting  independently  of  Him;  all  this 
would  be  beside  Satan^s  purpose;  and  under  tbe  pretence 
of  cultivating  a  manly  spirit  of  self-reliance,  he  will  make 
us,  if  he  can,  live,  and  move,  and  act,  independently  of 
God;  of  God  sought,  and  acknowledged  in  prayer. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  God  allows  His  people  to 
try  this  independence — this  was  the  case  when  the 
Gibeonites  were  received,  as  we  read  in  Joshua  ix,  14. 
'^And  the  men  took  of  their  victuals,  and  asked  not 
counsel  at  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.^^  The  result  we 
know;  they  were  miserably  deceived.  God  will  allow 
His  people  to  be  workmen  under  Him^  but  not  indepen- 
dently of  Him.  And  because  of  this,  we  must  use  these 
words,  "  I  will.^^  "  I  will  pray,  in  using  such  and  such 
an  instrument ;  I  will  pray  for  success  and  skill ;  I  will 
not  allow  myself  to  be  led  astray  by  the  fairness  of 
appearances ;  I  will  not  think  that  the  end  is  secured, 
because  the  means  for  accomplishing  it  seem  of  surpass- 
ing strength ;  I  will  not  allow  God  to  be  hidden  from 
mine  eyes,  by  all  these  material  things ;  I  will  use  them 
in  a  spirit  of  prayer.^^ 

Let  us  but  observe,  and  act  on  this,  and  we  shall  find 
that  we  shall  not  be  confounded.  The  God  whom  we 
practically  acknowledge  in  prayer,  will  be  sure  to  ac- 
knowledge us  practically,  by  giving  us  cause  for  praise ; 
"in  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  Him,  and  He  shall  direct 
thy  paths. ^^     Pro  v.  iii,  6. 

There  is  in  man  a  natural  tendency  to  keep  from  alone 
and  immediate  connection  with  God;  and  to  overcome 
this,  often  requires  the  expressed  determination,  "  I  will.^^ 

"We  have,  in  all  probability,  experienced  something  of 


142  PRAYER. 

this  ourselves.  In  our  |iours  of  trial  and  difficulty^  we 
have  sought  the  sympathy  of  our  fellow-man ;  when  evil 
tidings  came^  we  have  written  off  to  some  dear  friend  to 
come  to  us^  or  we  have  gone  to  him ;  we  had  not  as  yet 
learned  to  go  alone^  and  to  go  immediately,  before  God. 
It  is  not  that  at  such  times  we  desire  to  bear  our  sorrows 
by  ourselves,  for  we  seek  for  sympathy  and  support ;  nor 
is  it  that  we  want  to  hide  them  from  God,  and  discon- 
nect ourselves  from  Him ;  it  is  simply  that  we  have  not 
attained  to  such  a  knowledge  of  Him,  and  such  expe- 
riences of  Him  as  our  truest  friend,  as  would  draw  us  at 
once  to  Him,  to  tell  Him  everything,  either  about  what 
we  wish  to  do,  or  have  to  bear.  Here  we  must  bring  in 
the  determined  "I  will;^'  we  must  say,  "I  will  take 
counsel  of  Him  in  the  solitude  of  prayer;  /  will  tell 
Him  everything,  as  it  were,  face  to  face;  I  will  do  as 
Hezekiah  did,  I  will  spread  my  letter  before  the  Lord." 

Did  you  ever,  dear  reader,  spread  a  letter  before  the 
Lord;  literally  take  the  vexing  sheet,  and  open  it  out 
before  Him,  and  say  to  Him,  ''  Behold,  O  Lord,  what  I 
have  received,  and  teach  me  what  to  do ;  or  help  me  that 
I  may  bear ;  or  give  me  wisdom  that  I  may  answer,"  as 
the  case  may  be  ?  Few  of  our  readers  escape  letters  with 
evil  tidings,  letters  of  provocation,  or  annoyance,  or  dis- 
appointment ;  when  the  postman  raps  at  the  door,  who 
can  tell  what  tidings  he  brings  ?  There  is  but  one  way 
of  being  prepared  for  whatever  the  day  may  bring  forth ; 
it  is  by  being  able  to  refer  all  to  God ;  by  knowing  that 
in  humble  trust  we  may  bring  everythm^  before  Him  in 
prayer.  This  is  the  preparation  of  which  the  Psalmist 
speaks  in  Psa.  cxii,  7.  "  He  shall  not  be  afraid  of  evil 
tidings;    his  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord."     We 


PRAYER.  143 

are  prepared  for  everything,  if  we  feel  that  wfe  can  bring 
all  before  the  Most  High;  if  we  can  go  in  alone  unto 
Him,  and  hear  what  He  will  say  concerning  it.  Let  me 
recommend  you,  dear  reader,  to  go  in  with  yoiir  letters 
before  the  Lord ;  to  spread  them  as  literally  before  him, 
as  yon  would  before  a  friend ;  to  point  with  your  finger, 
as  you  pray,  to  the  very  passages  which  troul)le  you 
most;  and  in  such  an  exercise  as  this,  there  will  be  a 
reality  which  will  speak  even  to  your  own  soul.  The 
-matter  will  be  between  God  and  you :  and  you  may  be 
sure  you  will  have  a  realization  that  it  is  so.  But  in 
order  to  pray  thus,  bringing  yourself  and  your  affairs  into 
immediate  connection  with  God,  you  must,  by  His  grace, 
be  a  man  of  holy  determination ;  able  in  these  matters  to 
say,  "I  will." 

There  is  yet  one  point  more  upon  which  it  will  be  well 
to  touch,  as  calling  for  this  fixed  determination  in  prayer. 
We  are  sometimes  backward  because  of  our  own  known, 
and  felt,  imperfection  in  prayer.  Man  is  generally  averse 
to  doing  what  he  does  with  difficulty,  or  what  he  feels  he 
does  badly ;  and  this  natural  feeling  enters  into  prayer. 
We  often  feel  discouraged,  when  we  think  of  our  luke- 
warmness  and  our  wandering  in  prayer  ;  we  feel  at  times, 
it  is  only  mockery  or  formality  to  pray,  when  we  think 
how  miserable  our  prayers  are ;  and  Satan  is  sure  to  help 
on  such  thoughts  as  these,  and  say,  "  God  will  not  listen 
to  you,"  and  "if  you  can  do  no  better  than  you  have 
done  lately,  you  may  as  well  let  prayer  alone."  The  con- 
sequence is,  that  the  Christian  very  often  is  put  on  a 
wrong  tack  altogether;  he  waits  until  he  can  work 
himself  up  into  a  better  frame  of  mind  for  prayer,  until 
he  thinks  he  can  pray  better ;   and  whilst  thus  engaged. 


144  PRAYER. 

with  his  mind  turned  in  upon  himself,  he  gets  weaker 
instead  of  stronger_,  which  is  precisely  the  result  that 
Satan  wishes  to  bring  about. 

Dear  reader,  be  encouraged  to  come  to  God  just  as 
you  are;  with  all  your  imperfections,  with  all  your 
shortcomings.  Nothing  can  atone  for  the  presence  of 
these  in  your  past  prayers  save  the  blood  of  the  blessed 
Jesus,  who  has  already  atoned  for  them,  if  so  be  that 
your  prayers  were  offered  through  Him.  Let  us  remem- 
ber that  He,  the  Perfect  One,  will  do  away  with  our 
imperfections ;  and  if  the  heart  be  right  with  God,  Jesus 
will  take  care  that  the  prayer  be  right  also.  Our  past 
imperfections,  instead  of  making  us  backward,  should 
rather  spur  us  forward,  in  order  that  such  imperfections 
should  be  overcome ;  let  us  put  ourselves  under  restraint, 
and  bringing  with  us  Jesus,  the  One  through  whom  all 
prayer  is  heard,  determine  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
and  say,  '^1  will'' 


145 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TKE  OBJECT  OF  THE  '^  WILL"  m  PRAYER. 

Psalm  xxviii,  1.  "  Utito  Thee  will  I  cry,  O  Lord  my  rock;  he 
not  silent  to  me  ;  lest,  if  Thou  he  silent  to  me,  I  become  like  them 
that  go  down  into  the  pit." 

THE  verses  whicli  we  have  to  consider  in  reference  to 
prayer,  present  the  supplications  of  the  man  of  God 
before  us^  in  several  different  aspects.  More  than  one 
of  these  aspects,  is  frequently  found  in  the  same  verse; 
we  shall  therefore  have  to  recur  to  some  passages,  even 
after  they  have  been  specially  treated  of,  as  presenting  to 
us  fresh  teaching,  in  this  all  important  matter  of  prayer. 
Thus  Psalm  Iv,  16,  17,  gives  us  the  time  of  trouble,  in 
which  prayer  is  made ;  and  no  less  than  three  character- 
istics of  that  prayer,  namely  "  Faithful  Expectation,^' 
"  Intensity,'^  and  "  Continuance."  "As  for  me,  I  will  call 
upon  God ;  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.  Evening,  and 
morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and 
He  shall  hear  my  voice."  The  time  of  prayer  was  a 
troublous  one.  He  says,  that  "  the  Lord  shall  save  him." 
The  prayer  was  made  in  faithful  expectation — "  the  Lord 
shall  save" — the  Lord  ^^ shall  hear  my  voice."      The 

o 


146  PRAYER. 

prayer  was  cliaracterized  by  intensity — I  will  "  pray  and 
cry  aloud."  And  also  with  long  continuance — "  evening, 
and  morning,  and  at  noon." 

We  shall  limit  onr  thoughts  in  this  chapter_,  to  the 
consideration  of  God  as  the  great  object  of  prayer,  in 
the  troublous  time. 

Prayer  is  here  made  in  trouble,,  in  which^  all  earthly 
solacing  would  be  but  vain.  It  is  evident  that  the 
trouble  is  great ;  that  it  is  beyond  the  reach  of  ordinary 
alleviation;  that  it  will  depress  into  the  very  lowest 
depths,  unless  help  be  afforded  from  God  Himself;  if  He 
be  silent,  the  Psalmist  will  be  "like  one,  that  goes 
down  into  the  pit.'' 

Now  earthly  solace  is  not  to  be  despised.  The 
sympathy  of  our  fellow  man,  especially  if  it  come  from 
a  kindred  heart,  is  sweet  to  most ;  and  even  the  rough 
sympathy  of  those,  who  are  not  in  many  things  kindred 
with  ourselves,  but  who,  nevertheless,  are  drawn  forth  to 
us  by  our  woes,  is  grateful  to  us  in  our  sorrowing  hours. 
Whilst,  however,  human  sympathy  is  not  to  be  spoken 
of  with  depreciation,  it  must  also  be  spoken  of  with  truth. 
Its  powers  are  limited — it  often  tires  and  fails — there  are 
woes,  both  spiritual  and  temporal,  which  it  cannot  reach. 
This  has  been  experienced  by  every  one  who  has  been 
in  deep  sorrow,  either  of  body  or  of  soul;  they  have 
been  cast  loose  from  man ;  the  tie  of  communion,  the 
connecting  link  with  their  fellows,  seems  to  have  been 
severed ;  and  they  have  been  placed  alone.  How  often 
is  it  the  case  that  this  has  been  done,  in  order  that  the 
way  might  be  made  clear  for  God,  and  God  alone,  to  act. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  at  such  seasons  earthly 
solace   is   silent,  in   the   abstract.      No !    the  voice  of 


PRAYER.  147 

sympathy  is  heard  by  the  outward  ear^  bnt  it  cannot 
penetrate  to  the  heart;  kindly  looks  are  bright^  as  the 
sunbeams  in  their  radiance,  but  they  fall  upon  an  icy 
surface,  which  may  reflect  them,  but  does  not  receive 
them ;  the  depths  remaining  as  frost-bound  as  they  were 
before.  Many  a  word  of  sympathy,  and  sustaining,  and 
consolation,  has  fallen,  not  only  upon  the  outward  ear, 
but  has  reached  the  judgment,  and  yet  never  reached  the 
heart.  The  lip  has  responded  to  it ;  so  has  the  mind ; 
but  the  heart  has  been  silent;  it  has  not  heard  itself 
addressed,  it  has  nothing  therefore  to  answer. 

It  might  not  be  amiss  to  remind  the  reader,  that  if  he 
undertake  the  task  of  comforter,  or  sympathizer,  he 
must  expect  to  find  this.  There  are  times  when  we  feel 
inclined  to  be  disappointed,  at  the  little  success  of  our 
sympathizing  efforts;  we  feel  half  inclined  to  be  displeased 
with  the  sorrowing  one,  because  he  will  not  be  comforted ; 
it  is  not  enough  for  us  that  he  receives  our  sympathy,  we 
want  something  more;  we  want  to  see  some  effect  from 
it.  If,  indeed,  we  wish  to  be  wise  sympathizers,  let  us 
be  content  to  spend  our  sympathy,  without  seeing  any 
result ;  let  us  learn  to  be  silent  with  the  silent  ones ;  to 
shew  them  that  we,  in  some  measure,  take  in  their 
sorrows ;  that  we  are  feeling  they  have  a  depth  of  woe, 
which  we  cannot  fathom.  Such  silence  is  eloquence,  and 
has  much  more  likelihood  of  reaching  the  heart  in  time, 
if  indeed  it  ever  can  be  reached  by  human  sympathy, 
than  if  we  lavished  many  words  at  a  season  when  the  heart 
Lai  no  capacity  for  taking  in  words  at  all.  Job^s  friends 
did  more  for  him  when  "  they  sat  down  with  him  upon  the 
ground  seven  days  and  seven  nights,  and  none  spake  a 
word  unto  him^  for  they  saw  that  his  grief  was  very 


148  PRAYER. 

great/ ^  than  when  they  exhausted  upon  him  all  their 
arguments.  Job  ii,  13.  The  sympathy  of  silence  is^ 
alas !  but  little  understood. 

At  such  seasons  at  these^  God  shuts  us  up  unto  Him- 
self; He  takes  us  into  the  wilderness^  where  our  eye  can 
light  upon  nothing  that  delights  us ;  where  our  ear  can 
hear  no  sound  that  pleases  us ;  He  removes  from  us  all 
the  ordinary  occupations  of  hfe^  so  that  there  is  nothing 
to  divert  us ;  we  have  no  resource  except  it  be  in  Him. 

At  such  seasons  of  trouble  as  these^  the  soul  often  feels 
as  though  it  can  be  spoken  to  by  God  ;  or,  perhaps,  half- 
numbed,  it  scarce  feels  as  though  it  can.  When  the  soul 
feels  as  though  it  can  be  spoken  to  by  God,  it  realizes 
that  there  is  One  who  has  access  to  the  hidden  springs  of 
its  being;  One  who  has  a  voice,  which  can  penetrate 
where  human  voice  cannot  reach ;  if  He  will  speak,  it 
will  be  to  say,  what  will  suit  the  souFs  sad  case.  Such  a 
belief  is,  under  circumstances  Hke  these,  very  conducive 
to  prayer ;  the  eye  is  turned  simply  upon  God  ;  the 
afflicted  one  asks  Him  to  speak,  and  believes  that  He  will. 
But  it  is  not  always  thus ;  grief  and  trouble  sometimes 
numb,  and  half  stupify  the  afflicted  one ;  he  thinks  that 
his  woe  is  beyond  the  reach  of  any,  whether  it  be  God 
or  man ;  he  feels  so  blunted  that  he  can  scarce  receive 
any  comfort ;  he  has  now  no  courage  to  look  upward ; 
and  unless  God  give,  at  least,  so  much  quickening,  as 
will  make  that  man  believe  that  something  can  be  done 
for  him,  disastrous  results  ensue. 

In  your  trouble,  dear  reader,  may  it  be  ever  given  to 
you  to  retain  the  sensitive  powers  of  the  heart;  far  better 
is  it  to  retain  sensitiveness,  and  the  capacity  for  being 
acted  upon  by  God,  than  to  be  numbed,  and  for  a  long  time 


PRAYER.  149 

to  bear  the  heavy  oppression  of  the  heart/,  as  well  as, 
subsequently,  the  stingings  which  accompany  the  return 
of  sensation.  As  we  naturally  seek  for  help,  where  we 
believe  it  is  to  be  found,  so  the  bare  fact  of  realizing 
that  God  can  help  us,  will  in  itself  lead  our  minds 
upward  to  Him,  who,  in  man^s  trouble,  is  not  looked  up 
to  in  vain. 

The  points,  then,  upon  which  we  shall  now  dwell,  are 
these : — 

The  hearfs  fixing  upon  God. 

The  hearfs  desire  from  God. 

The  hearfs  dependence  upon  God ;  and 

The  hearfs  hopelessness  apart  from  God. 

"  Unto  Thee''  says  the  Psalmist ,  "  do  I  cry.''  Now 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  should  have  a 
definite  object  on  which  to  fix  our  thoughts.  Man,  at 
the  best  of  times,  has  but  little  power  for  realizing 
abstractions;  but  least  of  all  in  his  time  of  sorrow. 
Then  he  is  helpless ;  then  he  needs  every  possible  aid ; 
and  if  his  mind  wander  in  vacancy,  it  will  soon  weary, 
and  sink  down  exhausted.  God  has  graciously  taken 
cg,re  that  this  need  not  be  done.  He  has  so  manifested 
Himself  to  man  in  His  word,  that  the  afflicted  one  can 
fix  his  mind's  eye  on  Him,  as  the  definite  object  of  his 
faith,  and  hope,  and  prayer.  "  Call  unto  Me,  and  /  will 
answer  thee,  and  shew  thee  great  and  mighty  things 
which  thou  knowest  not."  Jer.  xxxiii,  3.  This  was 
what  the  Psalmist  did ;  and  the  definiteness  of  God,  as 
the  object  of  his  trust  in  prayer,  is  very  clearly  marked. 
"  Unto  Thee  lift  I  up  mine  eyes,  O  Thou  that  dwellest  in 
the  heavens.  Behold,  as  the  eyes  of  servants  look  unto 
the  hand  of  their  masters,  and  as  the  eyes  of  a  maiden 

o  2 


150  PRAYER. 

unto  the  hand  of  her  mistress,  so  our  eyes  wait  upon  the 
Lord  our  God,  until  that  He  have  mercy  upon  us." 
Psalm  exxiii,  1,  2. 

And  specially  great  is  the  privilege  of  the  Christian  in 
this  matter.  He  can  fix  his  eye  on  Jesus ;  he,  without 
any  very  great  stretch  of  imagination,  can  picture  that 
Holy  One  looking  down  upon  him ;  listening  to  him ; 
feeling  for  him ;  preparing  to  answer  him.  Dear  reader, 
in  the  time  of  your  trouble,  do  not  roam ;  do  not  send 
out  your  sighs  into  vacancy ;  do  not  let  your  thoughts 
wander,  as  though  they  were  looking  for  some  one  on 
whom  to  fix ;  for  some  one  to  whom  you  could  tell  the 
story  of  your  heart's  need,  and  desolation.  Fix  your 
heart,  as  the  Psalmist  did,  and  say,  "  Unto  Thee  will  I 
cry.''  What  a  comfort  is  it  to  the  child,  that  he  can  run 
and  tell  his  sorrows,  or  his  fears  to  his  parent ;  that  he 
can  go  at  once  to  the  living  sympathizer,  or  helper,  as  the 
case  may  be ;  thus  many  woes  have  been  lightened ; 
many  evils  been  averted.  Such  comfort  may  be  ours,  if 
we  know  where  to  take  our  troubles ;  on  whom  to  lay 
them;  to  whom  to  confide  everything  connected  vrith  them. 

Let  us,  as  speedily  as  possible,  seek  to  obtain  this 
personal  definite  view  of  God,  if  we  have  it  not  as  yet ; 
many  reasons  combine  to  make  it  most  advantageous  so 
to  do.  For,  first,  should  trouble  come  upon  us  speedily, 
how  dreadful  will  it  be  to  have  then  to  learn  that  we  are 
practically  without  resource.  We  believe,  indeed,  that 
there  is  One  who  can  sympathize  with,  and  help  us,  but 
we  do  not  know  where  to  find  Him,  we  have  not  been 
used  to  speak  personally  with  Him,  we  cannot  go  upon 
experience,  all  our  knowledge  we  have  to  acquire. 
And  while  things  are  in  this  state,  considerable  mischief 


PRAYER.  151 

is  going  on^  we  have  to  bear  our  load  alone ;'  we  have  to 
bear  it_,  not  sitting  down,  but  going  about  seeking  for  one 
to  help  ns ;  and  under  these  circumstances  the  burden 
must  be  the  heavier.  Much  valuable  time  is  thus  lost, 
wounds  are  being  galled  and  opened,  instead  of  mollified 
and  closed,  the  heart  is  being  crushed  under  its  own 
weakness,  instead  of  being  lightened  by  reposing  on 
heavenly  strength.  Moreover,  while  turning  hither  and 
thither,  there  is  a  danger  of  our  being  led  far  astray. 
Satan  will  be  sure  to  be  at  hand,  and  ready  to  lead  us 
away  from  God  instead^of  to  Him.  That  soul  is  in  a 
dangerous  case,  which  is  found  wandering  about  by 
Satan  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  he  has  refuges  of  his  own, 
to  which  to  lead  it ;  and  many  a  poor  stricken  one  has 
been  thus  deceived,  and  has  plunged  into  his  pitfalls,  by 
way  of  drowning  sorrows,  which  Jesus  would  have  taken 
and  borne  Himself. 

Oh !  how  happy  is  that  man,  who  feels  and  knows  that 
when  trouble  comes,  he  cannot  be  bewildered  and 
confused  by  the  stroke,  no  matter  how  heavy  it  may  be. 
Sorrow-stricken  he  will  be,  sorrow- stricken  God  may 
intend  him  to  be,  but  he  has  his  resource,  and  he  knows 
it,  and  will  avail  himself  of  it.  His  is  no  vague  theory 
of  the  general  sympathy  of  God  for  man ;  his  is  a  know- 
ledge of  God,  as  a  personal  and  feeling  God ;  he  says 
with  the  Psalmist,  "  Unto  Thee  will  I  cry." 

And  that  object  is  the  right  one.  What  terrible 
mistakes  do  men  often  make  in  their  choice  of  a  friend ! 
Some  cannot  understand  our  case ;  some  will  take  base 
advantage  of  it ;  some,  meaning  well,  will  wholly  mislead 
us;  and,  after  all,  the  heart,  with  the  addition  of  some 
fresh  bitter  experience,  may  be  thrown  back  upon  itself. 


152  PRAYER. 

The  present  is  tlie  time  for  learning,  that  God  is  the 
One  on  whom  to  fix  the  heart_,  in  the  day  of  trouble. 
We  shall  always  learn  something  fresh  of  God,  when 
looking  to  Him  in  our  troublous  time ;  but  it  is  not  then 
that  we  should  begin  to  seek  Him ;  we  should  be  able  to 
go  to  Him  as  a  tried,  as  a  well-known  God ;  as  One 
who  is  not  now  to  be  tried,  but  rather  to  be  depended, 
and  leant  upon.  It  is  one  thing  to  have  attained  to 
making  an  effort  to  lean  on  the  right  one  for  help ;  it  is 
another  to  be  able  to  dispense  with  effort,  and  to  repose 
on  Him.  • 

Such,  then  is  the  hearths  fixing  upon  God ;  we  may 
rest  assured  that  such  heart  fixing  is  well  pleasing  to  Him. 
He  loves  His  people  to  come  first  and  straight  to  Him ; 
He  wills  to  be  the  One  to  come  uppermost  in  their 
minds,  when  they  need  a  friend — He  is  honoured  in  this 
trust;  and  those  that  honour  Him,  He  will  honour  in 
return;  when  He  is  the  first  object  of  His  people^s 
thought,  in  their  time  of  trouble.  He  will  shew  them 
that  the  confidence  they  repose  in  Him,  by  coming  to 
Him  first  in  prayer,  is  not  misplaced. 

Let  us  next  observe  what  the  heart  desires  from  God. 
It  is  that  He  would  speak.  "Be  not  silent  unto  me." 
Under  these  circumstances,  when  we  make  our  prayer, 
we  desu'c  that  God  would  let  us  know  tnat  He  hears 
us — and  that  he  would  appear  for  us — and  that  He 
would  say.  He  is  our  Father. 

And  what  do  we  desire  God  to  say?  AVe  want  Him 
to  let  us  know  that  He  hears  us ;  we  want  to  hear  Him 
speak  as  distinctly  to  us,  as  we  feel  that  we  have  spoken 
to  Him.     We  want  to  know,  not  only  by  faith  that  we 


PRAYER.  153 

have  been  heard^  but  by  God's  having  spoken  to  us,  on 
the  very  subject  whereupon  we  have  spoken  to  Him. 
When  we  feel  thus  assured  that  God  has  heard  us,  we 
can  with  the  deepest  coniidence_,  leave  the  whole  matter 
about  which  we  have  been  praying,  in  His  hands. 
Perhaps  an  answer  cannot  come  for  a  long  time ;  perhaps 
things,  meanwhile,  seem  working  in  a  contrary  way; 
it  may  be,  that  there  is  no  direct  appearance  at  all  of 
God  upon  the  scene;  still  faith  will  hold  up  and  be 
strong ;  and  there  will  be  comfort  in  the  heart,  from  the 
felt  consciousness  that  God  has  heard  our  cry  about  the 
matter,  and  that  He  has  told  us  so.  We  shall  say  to 
ourselves,  "  God  knows  all  about  it ;  God  has  in  point  of 
fact  told  me  so ;  therefore  I  am  in  peace."  And  let  it 
be  enough  for  us  that  God  tells  us  this,  when  He  will 
perhaps  tell  us  no  more ;  let  us  not  want  to  try  and 
induce  Him  to  speak  much,  when  it  is  His  will  to  speak 
but  little — the  best  answer  we  can  have  at  certain  times 
is  simply  the  statement  that  "  He  hears ;"  by  this  answer 
to  our  prayer  He  at  once  encourages,  and  exercises  our 
faith.  "  It  is  said,"  says  Rutherford,  "  speaking  of  the 
Saviour^ s  delay  in  responding  to  the  request  of  the 
Syrophenician  woman,  '  He  answered  not  a  word ; '  but 
it  is  not  said,  He  heard  not  a  word.  These  two  differ 
much.  Christ  often  heareth  when  he  doth  not  answer — 
His  not  answering  is  an  answer,  and  speaks  thus — '  pray 
on,  go  on  and  cry,  for  the  Lord  holdeth  His  door  fast 
bolted,  not  to  keep  you  out,  but  that  you  may  knock, 
and  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened.^" 

But  what  if  God  be  silent,  and  continue  so  for  a 
lengthened  time  ?  Has  this  ever  been  the  experience  of 
a  believer  ?     It  undoubtedly  has ;  and  men  have  risen 


154  PRAYER. 

from  tbeir  knees,  not  knowing  whether  they  had  been 
heard  or  not.  These  are  seasons  of  pecuhar  distress,  to 
the  praying  people  of  God ;  and  they  have  to  take  up 
the  words  which  we  find  a  little  further  on,  in  the  verse, 
'^  lest  if  Thou  be  silent  unto  me,  I  be  like  unto  them 
that  go  down  into  the  pit.^' 

Many  of  God^s  people  have,  from  time  to  time,  been 
oppressed  in  prayer  with  the  feeling,  that  God  has  not 
heard  them ;  that  their  prayers  have  never  pierced  the 
skies  at  all,  but  have  fallen  back  heavily  upon  themselves ; 
depression  has  come  over  their  hearts ;  they  have  prayed 
in  vain. 

There  is  a  peculiar  depression  consequent  upon  the 
feeling  of  not  having  been  heard ;  a  depression,  distinct 
from  that  which  accompanies  the  thought,  that  God  may 
not  grant  our  requests.  In  the  present  instance,  we 
appear  thrown  back  upon  ourselves ;  our  labour,  it  may 
be  our  agony  in  prayer,  seems  useless ;  we  almost  think 
ourselves  thrown  out  of  our  connection  with  the  spiritual 
world — unable  to  gain  even  a  hearing,  no  matter  what 
the  consequence  of  that  hearing  might  be.  By  sup- 
posing ourselves  similarly  circumstanced  in  matters  of 
daily  life,  we  can  easily  understand  how  painful  this 
state  of  things  is — happy  are  we  if  we  do  not  understand 
it  from  actual  experience  ! 

Suppose  the  suitor  cannot  get  a  hearing  for  his  case 
from  the  judge;  suppose  that  applications  for  help  are 
written,  again  and  again,  and  no  answer  comes  in  return; 
at  least,  to  say  that  they  have  been  received;  suppose 
we  have  offended  some  one  that  we  love,  and  that  now, 
repentant  and  distressed,  we  address  letters  of  sorrow  for 
the  past,  but  that  no  acknowledgement  leads  us  to  know 


PRAYER.  155 

that  they  have  been  opened,  or  even  rcceived ;  we  can 
imagine  the  numbing,  and  distressing  influence  on  the 
heart. 

If  only  we  could  get  a  hearing,  we  think  that  all  would 
be  well,  or  at  any  rate,  that  matters  would  be  better 
than  they  are  now;  we  might  be  able  successfully  to 
plead  our  cause,  or,  if  we  could  not,  ours  would  be  at 
least  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  we  had  left  no 
stone  unturned,  and  that  things  would  have  been  different 
if  only  we  could  have  been  heard.  It  is  more  depressing 
and  irritating  not  to  be  able  to  get  a  hearing,  than  to 
succeed  in  getting  one,  and  then  to  fail  in  obtaining  our 
desires. 

Now  what  the  soul  often  wants  in  prayer,  is  just  this 
assurance  of  being  heard.  If  only  the  petitioner  can  feel 
that  every  word  he  says,  every  thought  he  has  upon  the 
matter  in  hand,  really  enters  into  the  ears  of  God,  one 
half  his  difficulties  are  passed,  he  can  experience  more 
comfort,  and  exercise  more  power  in  prayer. 

It  is  indeed  of  the  utmost  importance  that  we  should 
feel  that  we  are  being  heard ;  one  sentence  uttered  under 
this  consciousness,  is  of  more  power  than  many  when  it 
is  not  present. 

We  shall  be  greatly  helped  in  this  matter,  if,  when  we 
go  to  prayer,  we  take  pains  about  being  sure  that  we 
come  into  the  very  presence  of  God.^    If  we  be  sure  that 

*  This  may  not  be  an  unfitting  place  to  make  an  observation 
upon  the  great  value  of  mental  realization  in  prayer,  and  some  of 
the  aids  thereto.  Very  many  find  great  difficulty  in  making 
prayer,  as  matter  of  fact  a  transaction,  as  any  of  the  ordinary 
proceedings  of  daily  life ;  Satan  uses  the  sacredness  of  prayer  to 
destroy  its  reality ;  with  consummate  craft  he  removes  it  from 


156  PRAYER. 

we  are  in  His  presence,  we  must  also  be  sure  that  we  are 
heard.  That  time  is  well  occupied,,  which  we  spend  iri 
the  act  of  coming  into  the  Divine  presence.  True,  some 
can  find  themselves  there  in  a  moment,  but  some  cannot; 

what  is  customary  and  real,  to  what  is  speculative  and  ideal.  Let 
us  make  prayer  a  common  transaction  between  ourselves  and  oui 
God ;  until  we  do  so,  it  will  never  exercise  a  matter  of  fact  in- 
fluence, a  working  power.  The  author  knows  a  minister  who 
finds  it  very  helpful  to  act  as  well  as  pray  his  prayers ;  e.  g.,  il 
an  unpleasant  or  perplexing  letter  comes,  he  spreads  it  open  upon 
the  chair  or  table  at  which  he  is  kneeling,  and  he  x^oints  with  his 
finger  to  the  passages  in  question,  and  prays  about  them.  If  he 
has  to  preach,  he  lays  his  hand  in  prayer  upon  his  forehead  and 
says,  "  O  Lord,  anoint  my  thoughts,  that  I  may  be  able  to  think 
aright  on  the  subject  on  which  I  am  now  about  to  preach" — he 
passes  his  hand  across  his  lips,  and  says,  "  O  Lord,  anoint  my 
lips,  that  wise  words  may  come  forth  from  them,  and  prudent  and 
skilful  words,  that  I  may  not  only  know  what  to  say,  but  how  to 
say  it ;  that  no  unadvised  word  may  come  forth  from  my  mouth  ;" 
— he  opens  his  waistcoat  and  lays  his  hand  upon  his  heart,  and 
says,  *'  O  God,  give  right  afiections  here,  give  warmth  of  feeling, 
and  love,  and  fervour,"  &:c. .  .  and  thus  he  has  the  consciousness 
that,  so  far  as  he  himself  is  concerned,  he  has  really  sought  God's 
influences  in  prayer.  Then,  with  regard  to  the  congregation — in 
his  mind's  eye  he  takes  in,  not  the  whole  church,  but  one  side  of 
the  aisle,  and  he  prays  for  those  who  will  be  there  ;  then  for  the 
other  side,  and  so  on,  for  the  diff'erent  parts  of  the  church ;  then 
when  the  time  comes  for  him  to  preach,  and  he  looks  down  from 
his  pulpit,  he  feels  that  he  has  prayed  for  all. 

If  the  reader  have  a  letter  of  importance  to  write,  let  him  put 
the  unwritten  sheet  of  pamper  before  him ;  let  him  point  to  it,  before 
the  Lord,  and  say,  "  O  Lord,  teach  me  what  to  write  on  this 
paper;" — if  he  be  going  to  distribute  a  bundle  of  tracts,  let  him 
bring  the  tracts  themselves  before  God,  and  put  his  hands  upon 
them  and  pray  over  them  ;  if  the  mother  have  a  child  that  grieves 
her,  let  her  creep  quietly  into  its  room  when  it  is  sleeping  at  night, 


PRAYEIl.  157 

and  there  is  no  reason  why  a  man  should  not  pause 
before  he  begins  to  pray,  and  solemnly  perform  the  act 
of  approach  in  his  own  mind,  and  thus  reverentially 
proceed  into  the  presence  of  the  Most  High.  When 
sure  that  we  are  in  His  presence,  and  that  we  are  ad- 
dressing Him,  we  then,  as  has  been  said,  feel  sure  that 
we  are  heard. 

But  we  seek  for  more  than  this ;  our  hearths  desire  is 
that  God  will  speak  to  us,  and  thus  let  us  know  that  He 
hears  us ;  we  say  "  Be  not  silent  unto  me." 

Now,  when  God  gives  us  an  inward  witness  that  our 
prayer  has  been  heard,  that  witness  brings  peace  to  our 
hearts.  God  may  not  say,  "  I  will  grant  this  petition," 
but  He  does,  in  point  of  fact,  say,  "  It  now  rests  with 
me ;  I  know  thy  desires ; "  and  then,  if  we  know  anything 
of  Him  at  all,  we  feel  that  He  will  send  such  an  answer 
as  is  for  our  truest  good. 

There  is  great  sustaining  influence  in  the  realization 
that  God  has  heard  us  ;  in  His  having  said  even  no  more 
than  this,  "  I  have  heard  thee."  If  things  seem  to  be 
going  wrong  in  the  matter  concerning  which  we  have 
prayed,  we  shall  feel  we  know  that  God  has  it  before 
Him,  because  He  witnessed  to  our  hearts  that  he  heard 
us  about  it ;  if  there  be  long  delays,  and  the  heart  seem 

and  pray  over  it,  and  point  to  it,  before  the  Lord,  and  say,  "0 
Lord,  for  this  child  I  ask,"  &c.  And  in  the  common  things  of 
daily  life,  this  embodying-  of  prayer  will  be  very  useful — let  the 
sick  man  hold  his  medicine  in  his  hand  and  pray  over  it — let  the 
teacher  spread  her  books  before  the  Lord,  and  say  over  them, 
"  Lord  help  me  to  communicate  the  knowledge  I  am  to  impart,"  &c.; 
and  thus,  and  thus  only,  we  bring  the  might  of  heaven  into  the 
little  things  of  daily  life,  and  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  privilege 
which  is  surely  ours. 


158  PRAYER. 

inclined  to  become  sick  under  the  influence  of  "hope 
deferred/'  we  shall  stay  ourselves  upon  tliis  thought, 
"  God  has  said  to  me  that  He  listened  to  my  supplications 
on  this  point/'  When  once  we  are  certain  that  God 
has  heard  us  about  any  matter,  there  we  must  leave  it, 
results  are  with  Him ;  and  being  willing  to  leave  results 
with  Him,  we  are  entitled  to  seek  the  full  assurance  that 
He  has  listened  to  us,  by  His  own  witness  to  us  on  the 
point. 

Another  part  of  the  heart's  desire  is,  that  God  would 
appear  for  us  in  these  circumstances. 

Now  this  appearance  need  not  have  reference  to  the 
outer  world  at  all.  The  desire  of  the  Psalmist  is,  that 
God  would  speak  to  him.  "  Be  not  silent  unto  me."  He 
wants  to  hear  God  assure  him,  that  He  is  noting  all  the 
circumstances  of  his  case;  and  this  voice  need  not,  for 
purposes  of  comfort,  go  beyond  himself.  What  powerful 
comfort  there  is  in  the  thought  that  God  has  spoken  to 
our  soul;  that  He  has  spoken  with  reference  to  the 
points,  in  which  we  are  at  that  moment  troubled;  that 
He  has  thus  made  His  appearance  on  our  behalf.  At 
the  sound  of  this  voice,  our  fears  are  stilled ;  and  if  we 
cannot  attain  to  being  joyful,  we  are  at  least  in  peace; 
the  appearance  of  cu'cumstances  may  have  in  no  wise 
changed :  our  own  resources  may  have  in  no  wise  in- 
creased; but  God  has  spoken  to  us,  and  in  this  our  heart 
finds  rest. 

Let  us  not  want  immediate  displays  of  active  inter- 
ference ;  let  us  rest  in  the  fact  of  having  heard  the  voice 
of  God,  in  answer  to  our  prayers.  If  we  know  God 
aright,  that  fact  will  involve  many  others.     We  shall 


PRAYER.  159 

have  His  secret ;  we  shall  know  that  it  is  impossible  for 
God  to  hear  and  not  to  act,  and  so  we  shall  wait 
patiently  until  He  work,  how  and  when  He  please. 

The  hearths  dependence  upon  God,  is  another  point 
prominently  brought  before  us  here.  The  Lord  seems  to 
be  everything  to  the  Psalmist  in  his  trouble.  "Unto 
Thee  will  I  cry,  lest  if  Thou  be  silent  unto  me,  I  be- 
come like  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit." 

This  dependence  is  well  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Man  does  not  often  like  to  find  his  fellow  man  leaning 
upon  him,  much  less,  throwing  himself  wholly  upon  him; 
he  is  afraid  of  the  drag  that  will  be  made  upon  his 
resources ;  he  does  not  like  to  be  clogged,  and  em- 
barrassed with  a  helpless  creature.  But  it  is  not  so  with 
God.  Infinite  in  His  resources,  He  never  can  be 
embarrassed ;  the  larger  the  demand  made  on  Him,  the 
better  pleased  He  is. 

If  we  had  deep  realizations  of  God's  wealth,  and  of 
His  desire  to  see  men  draw  largely  upon  it,  we  should 
know  more  of  heart  dependence,  than  we  do  now ;  but 
the  truth  is,  that  we,  imperceptibly  perhaps  to  ourselves, 
measure  God  by  our  own  little  standard ;  and  so  fail  to 
lean  upon  Him,  with  that  thorough  dependence  which 
He  loves.  Not  long  since,  a  considerable  sum  of  money 
was  wanted  for  a  special  purpose,  in  which  God's  cause 
was  concerned ;  and  a  worthy  man,  when  conversed  with 
about  itj  and  told  that  it  was  confidently  expected  from 
the  Lord,  answered,  that  it  was  expecting  too  much  from 
God;  the  homely  phrase  used  meaning,  that  it  was 
^*  pushing  God  too  hard  ! ''  This  worthy  man's  idea  was 
by  no  means  an  uncommon  one ;  many  think  that  it  is 


160  PRAYER. 

exacting y  to  expect  much  from  God;  that  it  is  not 
modest  to  expect  too  much  from  Him ;  in  a  word^  that 
He,  the  Infinite  One,  should  be  dealt  with  as  though  He 
were  finite,  as  though  He  could  be  exhausted  by  our 
petitions.  Concentrated  dependence  is  what  God  likes 
to  see  in  His  people.  Dependence  of  the  deepest, 
and  most  perfect  kind;  dependence  concentrated  upon 
Him.  He  loves  His  people  to  feel  that  ^'^if  He  be 
silent  unto  them,  they  become  like  them  that  go  down 
into  the  pit." 

And  this  mention  of  the  pit  introduces  us  to  the  last 
point,  which  is  to  be  noticed  in  this  chapter,  viz..  The 
hearfs  hopelessness  apart  from  God.  ^'  Lest  if  Thou  be 
silent  unto  me,  I  become  like  them  that  go  down  into 
the  pit.'' 

The  word  "  pit,''  taken  by  itself,  may  mean  any  kind 
of  pit;  but  in  the  phrase  in  which  it  is  here  and  else- 
where found,  it  means  the  place  of  the  departed,  either 
of  their  bodies  or  souls.  The  sense,  then,  of  what  the 
Psalmist  says  is  this,  "  Unless  Thou,  O  Lord,  wilt 
hearken  to  my  cry,  I  cannot  be  sustained  even  in  life; 
there  is  no  hope  for  me  upon  earth." 

We  shrink,  in  all  probability,  from  being  reduced 
to  such  a  state  as  this;  we  cannot  bear  to  have  to  say, 
"  Attend  unto  my  cry,  for  I  am  brought  very  low,"  but 
it  is  necessary  that  we  should  come  to  this.  The  last 
resource  of  the  heart  of  poor  fallen  man  is  God;  He 
should  be  the  first.  He  is  the  last ;  and  as  long  as  there 
is  anything  for  the  heart  to  lean  upon  or  hope  from,  it 
will  not  go  to  Him.  Even  God's  own  people  are  prone 
to  forget    this;    and,  from  time  to  time,    grounds   of 


PPvAYKR.  161 

human  hope  imperceptibly  take  the  place  of  the  One 
great  object  of  hope^  God,  the  all-suflScient  God  Him- 
self. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  God  sees  it  expedient  from 
time  to  time,  as  the  Great  Physician,  to  reduce  His 
patients  very  low ;  to  make  them  feel  what  they  knew 
well  enough  in  theory,  viz.,  that  without  Him,  they  are 
utterly  undone.  At  such  seasons,  visions  of  the  pit  seem 
to  come  before  their  eyes ;  they  seem  shut  up  to  it,  and 
there  is  little  likelihood  of  escaping  from  it.  These  are 
terrible  times,  but  they  are  also  times  of  immense 
spiritual  acquisition;  we  sometimes  learn  more  of  God  in 
them,  than  in  the  evenly  flowing  events  of  one  half  our 
lives.  We  know  that  in  our  ordinary  lives,  there  are 
periods  of  very  short  duration  in  which  we  seem  to  learn 
more  than  we  had  learned  in  years  previously.  When 
death  has  taken  away  some  one  very  near  our  heart,  we 
seem  to  live  a  whole  lifetime  in  a  very  few  days  or  hours, 
and  not  only  to  live  but  to  learn  in  proportion.  I  can 
well  understand  a  man's  saying  "  I  learned  more  in  those 
few  hours  than  in  all  my  life  beside  /'  it  may  be  that  then, 
for  the  first  time,  such  an  one  was  shut  up  between  God 
and  the  pit,  and  obliged  to  cast  himself  upon  Him,  in  a 
way  which  he  had  never  done  before.  There  are  times 
in  which  the  spiritual  man  will  age  many  years  in  a  few 
short  hours.  And  this  will  just  shew  us  how  little  we 
can  guage  another  man's  spiritual  experience,  and  how- 
presumptuous  it  is  for  us  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  it. 
"  Is  not  this  the  carpenter's  son  ?"  say  the  Jews,  '^  whence 
then  hath  He  these  things  ?  and  they  were  offended  at 
Him."  They  knew  not  His  communion  with  the  Father, 
and  how  different  it  was  from  theirs.     And  much  the 

p  2 


16.2  PRAYER. 

same  form  of  question  is  asked  by  some,  with  regard  to 
those  for  whose  knowledge  and  experiences  they  cannot 
account.  They  know  that  such  an  one  could  not  have 
grown  into  his  present  advanced  state ;  how  is  it  then 
that,  all  at  once,  he  has  made  such  a  stride  in  spiritual 
things  ?  He  has  seen  the  pit,  he  has  seen  no  deliverer 
from  the  pit  hut  God  alone ;  he  has  been  brought  into 
such  terrible  nearness  to  that  pit  that  he  must  go  into  it 
unless  God  interfere  on  his  behalf;  let  us  be  assured 
that  there  are  seasons,  when  five  minutes  are  more 
pregnant  with  deep  spiritual  teaching,  than  thrice  as 
many  years.  Jesus  lived  far  more  than  an  ordinary 
lifetime  of  sorrow,  in  the  moments  of  His  bitter  agony 
in  Gethsemane.  Spiritual  life  may  be  measured  by 
intensity  as  well  as  length. 

Let  your  heart  then,  dear  reader,  fix  itself  upon  God ; 
say,  "  Unto  Thee  will  I  cry,  O  Lord,  my  rock.''  Let 
your  heart's  desire  be  from  Him,  that  He  wo  aid  speak 
to  you ;  say,  "  Be  not  silent  unto  me."  Let  your  heart's 
dependence  be  upon  Him,  yea,  let  your  heart  be  hopeless 
apart  from  Him;  say,  "lest  if  Thou  be  silent  unto  me,  I 
become  like  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit."  Thus 
cast  yourself  upon  God,  and  He  will  accept  the  trust, 
and  He  will  keep  you  from  the  deep,  dark,  dungeon-pit 
of  despair ;  and  if,  for  His  glory,  there  be  any  pit  into 
which  you  have  to  descend.  He  will  not  be  silent  to  you; 
He  will  not  leave  you  nor  forsake  you ;  but  will  walk 
with  you  in  furnace  fires  heated  seven-fold  more  than  is 
their  wont,  and  sit  with  you,  even  amid  all  the  horrors 
of  the  lions'  den. 


163 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  ''I  WILL"  OF  PRAYER  m  THE  TIME  OF 
TROUBLE. 

Psalm  Iv,  16,  17.  "As  for  me  I  loill  call  upon  God,  and  the 
Lord  shall  save  me.  Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray, 
and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice" 

DAVID  was  a  man  wlio  not  only  worshipped  God, 
but  who  lived  and  walked  with  him  also.  His 
communion  and  his  prayer  were  morning,  noon,  and 
evening — when  the  sun  was  rising,  when  it  was  hot,  and 
when  it  was  setting — he  lived  with  God,  and  so  he  lived 
in  a  spirit  of  prayer. 

David,  then,  could  well  say  the  "I  will^^  which  we 
are  about  to  consider  now ;  so  also  could  Christ,  to  whom 
prophetically  this  psalm  belongs. 

In  the  days  of  His  flesh,  our  Lord  caUed  evening, 
morning,  and  at  noon,  upon  His  Father ;  He  cried  aloud ; 
and  we  know  that  He  was  heard.  Thus  much  we  know 
of  Jesus,  that  He  prayed  continually  :  that  He  remained 
all  night  upon  the  mountain  side  in  prayer;  but  how 
little  do  we  know  of  His  "  cryings  aloud."  Such  as  are 
revealed  to  us,  may,  perhaps,  give  us  a  clue  to  what  many 
others  were;  the  bitter  cries  of  Gethsemane  were  not 


164  PRAYER. 

strange  sounds  in  the  ears  of  God ;  many  sucli  had, 
doubtless_,  come  before  His  throne  from  the  mountain 
side,  on  which  His  Son  was  keeping  His  lonely  vigil,  of 
meditation  and  prayer — and  not  only  from  the  solitude 
of  the  mountain  side,  but  also  from  the  crowded  haunts 
of  the  resorts  of  men.  "When  Jesus  sighed,  when  He 
looked  up  to  heaven,  little,  or  it  may  be,  nothing  was 
heard  by  human  ear ;  but  a  loud  voice  was  heard  before 
the  Father^s  throne  in  heaven.  "I  know,^'  said  Jesus, 
"  that  Thou  hearest  me  always."  "  Evening,  morning, 
and  at  noon  will  I  pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall 
hear  my  voice." 

Humbly  and  at  a  great  distance,  no  doubt,  must  Jesus' 
people  ever  follow  Him;  still  we  may,  yea,  we  must 
follow  Him  on  earth,  even  as  we  hope  to  follow  Him  to 
that  place  whither  He  has  gone  before ;  and  so  we  also, 
it  is  to  be  hoped,  can  take  up  this  ^  I  Will  ^  of  Jesus,  and 
of  David,  and  say,  '^As  for  me,  I  will  call  upon  God, 
and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.  Evening,  and  morning, 
and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud;  and  the  Lord 
shall  hear  my  voice."  Feebly  and  imperfectly,  owing  to 
the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  will  we  carry  out  such  a 
declaration  as  this ;  but  our  feebleness  must  not  deter  us 
from  entering  on  it.  Of  that  feebleness  God  will  take 
no  account  in  wrath,  but  much  account  in  pity ;  so  much, 
that  we  may  in  all  faith  take  up  the  Psalmist^s  words, 
and  say,  '^  And  He  shall  hear  my  voice." 

There  are  some  points  of  practical  instruction  brought 
before  us  here,  from  which  we  may  gather  teaching,  in 
matters  connected  with  our  ordinary  spiritual  life. 

Observe,  I.  The  standing  out  in  strong  distinctiveness, 
"As  for  me." 


PRAYER.  165 

Circumstances  were  now  about  as  bad  as  tliey  well 
could  be.  The  voice  of  the  enemy  was  heard;  the 
oppression  of  the  wicked  was  felt :  "  they  cast  iniquity 
upon  me/^  says  the  Psalmist^  '^  in  wrath  they  hate  me." 
And  these  circumstances  became  aggravated  by  the  fact^ 
that  some  of  the  actors  upon  the  scene^  were  those  who 
ought  to  have  occupied  the  position  of  friends.  ^^It 
was  not  an  enemy  that  reproached  me,  then  I  could  have 
borne  it;  neither  was  it  he  that  hated  me,  that  did  magnify 
himself  against  me,  then  I  would  have  hid  myself  from 
him ;  but  it  was  thou,  a  man  mine  equal,  my  guide,  and 
mine  acquaintance.  We  took  sweet  counsel  together, 
and  walked  unto  the  house  of  God  in  company." 

Let  us  here,  first  of  all,  observe  that  there  is  no 
disarming  of  malice  by  compromise.  Had  the  Psalmist 
chosen  to  compromise,  he  might  often,  no  doubt,  have 
disarmed  the  enmity  of  his  foes;  had  Jesus  chosen  to 
compromise,  he  also  might  have  done  the  same.  A  half- 
and-half  man,  a  half-and-half  creed,  will  never  meet  with 
violent  opposition  or  enmity  from  the  world.  Even  what 
might  be  called  a  three-quarters  man  will  escape  without 
very  much  hurt.  It  is  the  out-and-out  Christian,  and  the 
out-and-out  creed  that  tha  world  hates.  Making  com- 
promises is  an  old  trade  of  Satan^s;  it  is  one  at  which  he 
shews  consummate  skill;  he  is  willing  to  be  large  and 
liberal ;  he  will  concede  far  more  than,  at  first  sight,  any 
one  would  suppose ;  in  fact,  he  will  go  so  far  as  to  say, 
^'You  may  be  nine- tenths  Christ^  s,  if  only,  as  regards 
the  remaining  tenth,  you  will  agree  to  be  mine." 

The  man  of  God  must  pray  for  grace,  never  even  to 
listen  to  the  smallest  word  on  the  subject  of  compromise. 


166  PRAl'EIl. 

He  ought  to  nail  Ms  colors  to  the  mast,  and  not  listen, 
even  for  a  moment,  to  any  terms  upon  which  those  colors 
are  to  be  struck.  "  No  surrender  !  ^'  No  compromise  V' 
These  should  be  the  mottos,  and  the  watchwords  under 
which  he  fights. 

Let  us  see  how  some  of  the  ancient  saints  and  martyrs 
dealt  with  the  endeavours  which  were  made  to  induce  them 
to  a  compromise.  "When  Polycarp  was  apprehended, 
and  was  on  his  way  to  the  tribunal,  the  irenarch  Herod, 
and  his  father  Nicetes,  met  him,  and,  taking  him  up  into 
their  chariot,  began  to  advise  him,  asking,  '  What  harm 
is  it  to  say.  Lord  Caesar !  and  to  sacrifice,  and  be  safe?' 
At  first  he  was  silent ;  but  being  pressed,  he  said, '  I  will 
not  follow  your  advice.^  When  they  could  not  persuade 
him,  they  treated  him  abusively,  and  thrust  him  out  of 
the  chariot ;  so  that  in  falling  he  bruised  his  thigh.  But 
he,  still  unmoved,  as  if  he  had  sufiered  nothing,  went  on 
cheerfully,  under  the  conduct  of  his  guards,  to  the 
Stadium.  There,  the  tumult  being  so  great  that  few 
could  hear  anything,  a  voice  from  heaven  said  to  Polycarp, 
as  he  entered  on  the  Stadium,  '  Be  strong,  Polycarp,  and 
behave  yourself  like  a  man.^  None  saw  the  speaker,  but 
many  of  us  heard  his  voice.  When  he  was  brought  to 
the  tribunal,  there  was  a  great  tumult,  as  soon  as  it  was 
generally  understood  that  Polycarp  was  apprehended. 
The  proconsul  asked  him  if  he  were  Polycarp ;  to  which 
he  assented.  The  former  then  began  to  exhort  him : — 
'  Have  pity  on  thy  own  great  age ' — and  the  like. 
^  Swear  by  the  fortune  of  Caesar — repent — say  ^Take 
away  the  atheists/  ^  Polycarp,  with  a  grave  aspect, 
beholding  all  the  multitude,  waving  his  hand  to  them, 
and  looking  up  to  heaven,  said, '  Take  away  the  atheists.' 


PRAYER.  167 

The  proconsul  urging  him,  and  saying,  ^  Swear,  and  I 
will  release  thee;  reproach  Christ/  Polycarp  said, 
'Eighty  and  six  years  have  I  served  Him,  and  He  hath 
never  wronged  me;  and  how  can  I  blaspheme  my  King 
who  hath  saved  me?^  The  proconsul  still  urging, 
'  Swear  by  the  fortune  of  Csesar,^  Polycarp  said,  ^  If  you 
still  vainly  contend  to  make  me  ^  swear  by  the  fortune  of 
Caesar,^  as  you  speak,  affecting  an  ignorance  of  my  real 
character^  hear  me  frankly  declaring  what  I  am  : —  I  am 
a  Christian,  and  if  you  desire  to  know  the  Christian 
doctrine,  assign  me  a  day,  and  hear/  The  proconsul 
said,  'Persuade  the  people/  Polycarp  said,  'I  have 
thought  proper  to  address  you,  for  we  are  taught  to  pay 
to  magistracies,  and  powers  appointed  by  God,  all 
honour,  which  is  consistent  with  a  good  conscience/  'I 
have  wild  beasts,^  says  the  proconsul ;  '  I  will  expose  you 
to  them,  unless  you  repent/  'Call  them,^  replies  the 
martyr;  'our  minds  are  not  to  be  changed,  from  the 
better  to  the  worse ;  but  it  is  a  good  thing  to  be  changed 
from  evil  to  good/  'I  will  tame  your  spirit  by  fire,^ 
says  the  other,  '  since  you  despise  the  wild  beasts,  unless 
you  repent/  'You  threaten  me  with  fire,'  answers 
Polycarp,  '  which  burns  for  a  moment,  and  will  be  soon 
extinct;  but  you  are  ignorant  of  the  future  judgment, 
and  of  the  fire  of  eternal  punishment,  reserved  for  the  un- 
godly.   But  why  do  you  delay  ?    Do  what  you  please.' '^ 

To  swear  by  "the  fortune  of  Csesar''  seemed  but  a 
small  concession,  how  much  less  evil  did  it  appear  than 
cursing  Christ ;  but  the  Christian  martyr  would  hear  of 
no  concession  at  all,  and  rather  than  make  any,  he  died. 

We  may  rest  assured  that  we  fall  into  a  decided  trap 
of  Satan's^  when  we  offer  to  yield  even  ever  so  little  to 


168  PRAYER. 

the  world  in  order  to  disarm  its  malice ;  we  shall^  in  all 
probability,  be  driven  from  one  concession  to  anotlier_, 
and  even  if  this  be  not  the  case,  we  shall  find  that,  after 
all,  the  malice  of  the  world  is  as  strong  as  it  was  before. 
I  doubt  much  whether  its  malice  will  not  be  even 
stronger,  for  now  it  will  despise,  as  well  as  hate. 

The  Psalmist  took  his  stand,  he  said,  "  as  for  me/' 
just  as  Joshua  did,  who  took  up  his  own  ground, 
irrespective  of  what  all  others  might  do,  saying,  "  As  for 
me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord.'' 

Why  need  we  resort  to  compromise,  to  disarm  the 
world  of  its  malice,  or  rather  to  neutralize  its  power,  for 
disarm  it  we  never  can.  To  think  of  compromise,  is  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  we  have  not  a  sufficiency  of  resource  in 
God,  we  are  driven  by  hard  necessity  to  these  disreputable 
shifts."  If  we  knew  our  resources,  in  prayer,  we  should 
never  think  of  compromise  for  a  moment,  we  should  say 
to  ourselves  "  there  is  no  need  for  anything  of  the  kind, 
my  God  to  whom  I  commit  the  malice  of  my  enemies  in 
prayer,  is  able  and  willing  to  deal  with  them,  '  as  for  me, 
I  will  call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.'" 

Let  us  further  observe,  that  the  Psalmist  does  not 
faint  at  the  isolated  position  in  which  he  is  placed.  His 
enemies  were  many,  he  seemed  to  stand  alone,  but 
instead  of  succumbing,  he  flees  to  God,  he  says,  "  I  will 
call,"  and  "the  Lord  shall  save." 

Now  an  isolated  position  is  a  very  hard  and  a  very 
depressing  one  to  occupy  for  any  length  of  time.  Men 
will  do  and  bear  in  company,  what  they  can  neither  do 
nor  bear  alone;  in  loneliness  there  comes  the  sense  of 
weakness,  and  oftentimes  the  temptation  to  give  up. 


PRAYEK.  169 

If  any  one  who  reads  these  lines  has  to  sustain  the 
isolated  position^  whether  it  be  in  his  own  family  or 
elsewhere,  let  him  remember  that  in  this,  as  in  all  other 
forms  of  suffering,  Christ  Jesus  has  gone  before.  He 
was  not  only  the  most  sad  amongst  the  sad,  but  He  was 
also  the  most  lonely  amongst  the  lonely.  True!  multitudes 
thronged  Him,  but,  as  we  have  often  felt  ourselves  most 
lonely  when  in  a  crowd,  because  none  there  sympathized 
with  us  or  knew  us,  so  Jesus  doubtless  felt  Himself 
lonely  indeed,  when  crowds  pressed  upon  Him  who  had 
no  sympathy  with  Him,  and  who,  in  the  truest  sense  of 
the  words,  did  not  know  Him. 

Oh!  there  are  times  of  awful  loneliness  upon  the 
earth ;  times  when,  as  the  sun  sinks  beneath  the  horizon, 
our  hearts  sink  with  it,  and  long  deep  shadows  fall 
athwart  our  souls ;  times  when,  as  the  sun  rises  again  in 
its  freshness  and  its  strength,  we  feel  that  it  brings  to  us 
no  light,  no  heat,  no  healing  on  its  wings.  We  have 
now  no  flowers  in  our  hearts  to  unfold  beneath  its  beams, 
our  flowers  have  been  plucked,  and  bloom  with  us  no 
more;  we  have  no  jewels  to  flash  and  glitter  in  its  rays, 
we  have  had  our  treasure  taken  from  us,  and  our  heart 
is  like  the  rifled  casket,  good  for  nothing  in  itself.  Have 
we  not  been  startled  by  our  own  foot-falls  ?  have  we  not 
been  choked  by  our  own  breath  ?  have  we  not  looked 
out  into  vacancy  ?  have  we  not  dreamed  while  our  eyes 
were  open  ?  have  we  not  felt  as  though  our  very  selves 
had  been  cut  in  twain,  and  that  we  were  incomplete,  as 
though  a  part  of  our  very  being  had  been  stolen  away  ? 
Then,  did  we  not  become  faint  and  sick  at  heart,  did  we 
not  taste  that  which  he  who  has  once  tasted  will  never 
forget — the  nausea  of  grief? 

Q 


170  PRAYER. 

Now,  be  our  loneliness  what  it  may,  it  never  can 
exceed  the  loneliness  of  Christ.  True  !  He  Himself  tells 
us  that  He  was  not  alone ;  for  He  had  the  Father  with 
Him :  (John  xvi,  32)  but  as  far  as  human  feelings  and 
sympathies  were  concerned,  Jesus  was  alone.  The  man 
Christ  Jesus  was  often  lonely ;  and  paint  what  dreary 
scene  we  will.  He,  from  the  experience  of  His  earthly 
sorrows,  can  sketch  us  a  drearier ;  heave  what  deep  and  ex- 
hausting sigh  we  may,  it  will  be  but  a  faint  and  feeble  echo 
to  those  which  came  from  Him  in  His  sorrowing  hours. 

It  is  inexpressible  comfort  to  the  believer  that  he  can 
feel  Christ's  sympathy  in  seasons  such  as  these ;  that  this 
his  loneliness  is  known  and  understood  by  Jesus ;  but  this 
loneliness  is  not  the  trial  upon  which  we  wish  now  to 
dwell.  The  isolated  position  presented  here  is  one  con- 
nected with  desertion,  and  bitterness,  and  opposition,  and 
all  which  is  calculated  to  appal  and  unnerve  the  heart. 

Let  us  observe  that  there  is  no  fainting  under  all  this ; 
instead  of  any  such  yielding,  there  is  a  falling  back  upon 
God  in  prayer ;  a  determination  to  stand  upon  individual 
relationship  to  Him,  individual  realization  of  Him ;  upon 
the  consciousness  of  His  all-suf&ciency.  "  As  for  me,  I 
will  call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me.'' 

The  isolated  position  may  assume  many  forms ;  under 
whichever  one  it  comes  to  us,  may  the  Lord  give  us 
grace  to  be  of  good  courage,  and  not  to  faint.  It  may 
be  that  some  reader  must  stand  alone  in  his  own  family ; 
that  his  life  must  be  a  protest  against  theirs  in  almost 
every  daily  act ;  or  perhaps  he  may  be  one  of  a  godly 
family,  but  is  yet,  by  circumstances,  compelled  to  sojourn 
amongst  the  ungodly ;  obliged  to  take  up  the  Psalmist's 
words^  "  Woe  is  me  that  I  am  constrained  to  dwell  with 


PRAYER.  171 

Mesech  and  to  have  my  habitation  among  the  tents  of 
Kedar/'  Psalm  cxx,  5.  Or  perhaps  the  reader^ s  isolated 
position  may  not  be  an  habitual,  but  only  an  accidental 
one,  one  which  is  to  last  for  a  few  days,  or  only  a  few 
hours ;  whatever  it  may  be,  do  not  for  a  moment  think 
of  succumbing  under  it ;  do  not  allow  your  mind  for  an 
instant  to  dwell  upon  the  idea  of  your  being  alone;  see 
that  you  have  God  on  your  side ;  God  ready  to  befriend 
you,  and  say,  "As  for  me  I  will  call  upon  God,  and  the 
Lord  shall  save  me/' 

When  we  are  in  the  most  complete  state  of  isolation 
so  far  as  man  is  conr^erned,  we  are  not,  we  cannot  be, 
thoroughly  alone.  It  is  Satan's  policy  to  direct  our 
attention  to  ourselves;  to  shew  us  that  we  are  by 
ourselves ;  to  appal  us  by  our  isolation ;  but  we  must 
hold  our  ground  under  the  deep  conviction  that  God  is 
near.  When  the  King  of  Syria  sent  horses,  and  chariots, 
and  a  great  host,  to  seize  Elisha,  and  they  compassed 
the  city  about  in  which  he  was,  Elisha's  servant  cried, 
"Alas,  my  master!  how  shall  we  do?''  Then  Elisha 
answered,  "  Eear  not ;  for  they  that  be  with  us  are  more 
than  they  that  be  with  them.  And  Elisha  prayed,  and 
said.  Lord,  I  pray  Thee,  open  his  eyes,  that  he  may  see. 
And  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  the  young  man ;  and 
he  saw,  and  behold,  the  mountain  was  full  of  horses  and 
chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha."    2  Kings  vi,  15,  &c. 

The  heart,  if  left  to  itself,  must  sink  and  fail ;  flesh 
and  blood,  when  thrown  upon  their  own  simple  resources, 
are  not  equal  to  sustaining  heavy  pressure;  they  will 
faint,  not  only  under  the  pressure,  but  even  at  the  pros- 
pect of  it ;  the  one  resource  is  prayer.  "  As  for  me,  I 
mil  call  upon  God." 


172  PRAYER. 

When  Luther  was  about  to  appear  before  the  Emperor 
Charles^    and   the   assembled    princes,    at   the    Diet    of 
Worms,  he  was  troubled  and  dismayed ;  the  emperor, 
whose  sovereignty  extended  over  great  part  of  the  old 
and  new  world,  his  brother  the  archduke  Ferdinand,  six 
electors  of  the  empire,  twenty-five  dukes,  eight  margraves, 
thirty  archbishops,  bishops,  and  abbots,  seven  ambassa- 
dors, ten  deputies,  and  a  great  number  of  princes,  counts, 
sovereign  barons,  and  papal  nuncios,  in  all  two  hundred 
and  four  persons,  had  to  be  faced  by  the  solitary  monk ; 
what  wonder  if  he  was  dismayed  ?     The  historian  tells 
as  that  "  his  heart  had  been  troubled  in  the  presence  of 
so  many  great  princes,  before  whom  nations  humbly  bent 
the  knee/^     The  reflection  that  he  was  about  to  refuse 
to  submit  to  these  men,  whom  God  had  invested  with 
sovereign   power,    disturbed   his   soul,  and   he   felt  the 
necessity  of  looking  for  strength  from  on  high.     "  On 
the  morning  of  the  18th  of  April,  Luther  was  not  with- 
out  his   moments  of  trial,   in  which  the  face  of  God 
seemed   hidden   from  him.      His  faith  grew  weak,  his 
enemies  multiplied  before  him,  his  imagination  was  over- 
whelmed at  the  sight,  his  soul  was  as  a  ship  tossed  by  a 
violent  tempest,  which  reels  and  sinks  to  the  bottom   of 
the  abyss,  and  then  mounts  again  to  heaven."     Never 
was  any  man  in  a  greater  state  of  isolation ;  and  what 
does  he  do  ?     In  this  hour  of  bitter  sorrow,  in  which  he 
drinks  the  cup  of  Christ,  and  which  was  to  him  a  little 
garden  of  Gethsemane,  he  falls  to  the  earth  and  utters 
these  broken  cries,  which  we  cannot  understand  unless 
we  can   figure   to   ourselves  the  depth  of  the  anguish 
whence  they  ascend  to  God. 

"O  Almighty  and  everlasting  God !  how  terrible  is  this 


PRAYER.  173 

world !  Behold  it  openeth  its  mouth  to  swallow  me  up, 
and  I  have  so  little  trust  in  Thee !  . .  .  .  How  weak  is 
the  flesh,  and  how  powerful  is  Satan  !  If  it  is  in  the 
strength  of  this  world  only  that  I  must  put  my  trust,  all 
is  over !  . .  . .  my  last  hour  is  come,  my  condemnation  has 

been  pronounced !  . .  . .  O  God  !  O  God ! O  God,  do 

Thou  help  me  against  aU  the  wisdom  of  this  world  !     Do 

this;  Thou  shouldest  do  this Thou  alone for  this 

is  not  my  work,  but  Thine.  I  have  nothing  to  do  here; 
nothing  to  contend  for  with  these  great  ones  of  the 
world  !     I  should  desire  to  see  my  days  flow  on  peaceful 

and   happy.     But  the  cause  is  Thine and   it   is   a 

righteous  and  eternal  cause.  O  Lord !  help  me ! 
Faithful  and  unchangeable  God  !  In  no  man  do  I  place 
my  trust.  It  would  be  vain !  All  that  is  of  man  is 
uncertain ;  all  that  cometh  of  man  fails.     Oh  !  God  !  my 

God,    hearest   Thou   me   not? My  God,    art   Thou 

dead? No,  Thou    can^st    not    die!      Thou    hidest 

Thyself  only !     Thou  hast  chosen  me  for  this  work,  I 

know  it  weU  ! Act,  then,  O  God  !  stand  at  my  side, 

for  the  sake  of  Thy  weU  beloved  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  my 
defence,  my  shield,  and  my  strong  tower .^^ 

After  a  moment  of  silent  struggle  he  thus  continues, 
"  Lord  !  where  stayest  Thou !     Oh  my  God,  where  art 

Thou? Come!  come!  I  am  ready! I  am  ready 

to  lay  down  my  life  for  Thy  truth patient  as  a  lamb. 

For   it  is  the  cause  of  justice — it  is  Thine I  wiU 

never    separate   myself  from   Thee,   neither   now,   nor 

through   eternity and  though  the  world  should  be 

filled  with  devils — though  my  body,  which  is  still  the 
work  of  Thy  hands,  should  be  slain,  be  stretched  upon 

the  pavement,  be  cut  in  pieces reduced  to  ashes 

Q  2 


174  PRAYER. 

my  soul  is  Thine Yes,  I  have  the  assurance  of  Thy 

word.     My  soul  belongs  to  Thee  !  it  shall  abide  for  ever 

with  Thee  !  it  shall  abide  for  ever  with  Thee. Amen  ! 

O  God!  help  me! Amen!'' 

And  God  did  help  him  ;  for  we  are  told  that  ^'  after 
ne  had  thus  prayed,  he  found  that  peace  of  mind,  with- 
out which,  man  can  effect  nothing  great.  He  then  read 
the  word  of  God ;  looked  over  his  writings ;  and  sought 
to  draw  up  his  reply  in  a  suitable  form.  The  thought 
that  he  was  about  to  bear  testimony  to  Jesus  Christ  and 
His  word,  in  the  presence  of  the  emperor  and  of  the 
empire  filled  his  heart  with  joy.  As  the  hour  of  His  ap- 
pearance was  not  far  off,  he  drew  near  the  holy  Scriptures 
that  lay  open  on  the  table  and  with  emotion  placed  his 
left  hand  on  the  sacred  volume,  and  raising  his  right 
toward  heaven,  swore  to  remain  faithful  to  the  gospel ; 
and  freely  to  confess  his  faith,  even  should  he  seal  his 
testimony  with  his  blood.  After  this  he  felt  still  more 
at  peace.'' 

Such  was  the  conduct  of  a  great  man  in  a  great  trial ; 
natural  boldness  he  doubtless  had,  but  his  trial  was  too 
strong  for  mere  flesh  and  blood,  his  resource  was  in 
prayer;  there  he  sought  for,  and  there  he  found,  the 
strength  that  he  required.  As  he  did,  so  may  you,  dear 
reader,  do  also ;  and  whenever  you  have  to  stand  alone, 
be  it  in  your  own  families,  or  in  company,  or  before  the 
people  of  the  world,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  never  dream 
of  getting  rid  of  your  isolation  by  giving  up  your  dis- 
tinctiveness ;  hold  on,  hold  out,  say  "  As  for  me  I  will 
call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me." 

Let  me  guard  the  reader  from  thinking  that  I  would 
not  have  him  recognize  his  isolated  position  because  I 


PRAYER.  175 

point  out  to  him  the  need  of  looking  at  God^s  presence 
with  him,  instead  of  his  own  solitude.  When  we  are  in 
a  position  of  isolation,  it  is  necessary  to  perceive  it; 
indeed  a  part  of  our  safety  will  consist  in  our  full 
and  distinct  recognition  of  it.  There  is  no  small  amount 
of  power  in  the  words  '^  As  for  me" — these  words  bring 
before  us  at  once  our  separation  from  the  enemies  of 
God,  and  our  being  on  the  Lord's  side;  they  tell  us  of  our 
resources,  of  God's  regard  to  us  in  our  distinctive  state, 
of  the  position  we  occupy  in  His  sight.  In  the  contem- 
plation of  our  isolation  there  may  be  weakness,  in  the 
recognition  of  it  there  is  strength. 

We  see  then  how  the  Psalmist  stood  out  in  strong 
distinctiveness ;  let  us  now  see  how  he  recognises  God  as 
a  friend  in  the  midst  of  all  this  trouble.  "As  for  me,  I 
will  call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me."  It  is 
very  important  to  observe  that  the  Psalmist  did  not  allow 
the  multitude  to  hide  out  God  from  his  view.  We  see 
that  there  were  many  against  him,  and  the  tendency  of 
the  natural  mind  would  have  been  to  look  at  the 
multitude  who  were  close  at  hand,  and  not  at  God,  who 
might  have  been  considered  to  be  afar  of. 

This  recognition  of  God  the  Psalmist  made  in  prayer ; 
he  could  have  made  it  in  no  more  effectual  way,  because 
prayer  is  a  matter  immediately  between  the  person 
praying  and  the  person  prayed  to,  and  thus  the  Psalmist 
had  God  steadily  before  his  eyes,  no  matter  what  the 
number  of  his  foes.  When  we  are  hard  pressed  we  shall 
often  get  a  clear  view  of  God  in  prayer,  when  we  could 
not  in  any  other  way. 

Let  us,  dear  readers,  take  care  that  in  our  times  of 


176  PRAYER. 

trial  we  do  not  allow  the  multitude  to  hide  out  God ; 
that  we  do  not  permit  our  troubles  to  assume  a  promi- 
nence which  would  make  them  absorb  our  minds ;  if  we 
permit  this^  Satan^s  purpose  is,  to  a  great  extent,  gained ; 
he  will  have  separated  us  from  our  source  of  strength. 
We  have  often  met  with  believers  whose  troubles  had  so 
overwhelmed  them  that  they  shut  out  God;  these 
troubles  were  like  a  flight  of  locusts,  whose  numbers  we 
are  told  are  sometimes  so  great  as  even  to  obscure  the 
sun.  Now  we  cannot  help  having  troubles,  and  more 
than  this,  we  cannot  help  their  coming  in  multitudes,  but 
the  eye  of  faith  can  pierce  through  them  all,  and  herein 
it  has  great  advantage  over  the  eye  of  sense.  It  would 
be  mere  afiectation  to  say,  "  We  will  ignore  the  existence 
of  these  trials  altogether,"  we  cannot  do  so;  trials  are 
hard,  solid  facts;  enemies  are  substantial  realities,  as 
perhaps  many  of  us  know  to  our  cost :  and  when  these 
thicken  upon  us,  we  must  know  and  feel  the  serious 
nature  of  our  case.  It  is  foolish  to  hide  our  eyes  from 
the  reality  of  facts,  and,  like  the  ostrich  in  the  desert,  to 
think  to  escape  by  shutting  our  eyes ;  she  supposes,  as 
she  hides  her  head  in  the  sand,  that  none  can  see  her, 
because  she  cannot  see  them ;  shall  we  suppose  that  our 
enemies  cannot  see  us,  because  we  do  not  choose  to  see 
them?  No,  let  us  give  our  enemies  fall  credit  for 
their  numbers  and  their  might,  then  let  us  pass  above 
them  all  in  prayer,  and  clearly  look  on  God.  Satan  has 
continually  tried  to  perplex  God^s  people  by  number ;  no 
single  foe  was  particularly  strong  or  unmanageable,  but 
the  many  were  hard  to  deal  with,  the  multitude  could 
distract  the  thoughts.  Let  us  be  on  our  guard  against 
this  form  of  spiritual  danger,  and  say,  "  As  for  me,  I  will 


PRAYER.  177 

call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me."  Zaccheus 
was  very  mucli  in  earnest  in  his  desire  to  see  Jesus,  and 
so  he  found  means,  despite  his  natural  incapacity,  of  not 
being  thwarted  by  the  crowd ;  and  the  woman  who  had 
the  issue  of  blood  was  very  earnest  in  her  desire  to  touch 
the  Lord,  and  she  accomplished  her  wish,  although  the 
multitude  thronged  and  pressed  Him;  and  the  friends 
of  the  man  with  the  palsy  were  very  intent  upon  laying 
their  burden  at  the  very  feet  of  Jesus,  and  so  they  broke 
up  the  roof  and  let  the  afflicted  one  down  immediately 
before  the  One  by  whom  he  could  be  saved.  As  they 
did,  so  let  us  do  also,  and  we  may  rest  assured  that  we 
shall  succeed. 

Let  us  further  observe,  that  the  Psalmist  did  not  allow 
the  closeness  of  his  suffering,  which  touched  him  to  the 
very  quick,  to  obscure  his  vision  of  God.  Suffering 
which  touches  to  the  quick,  has  a  tendency  to  make  us 
absorbed  in  ourselves,  or  perhaps,  to  make  us  dissatisfied 
with  God;  we  are  often  so  occupied  with  what  we  are 
feeling,  so  absorbed  with  our  pains  and  distresses,  that 
we  can  think  of  nothing  else.  Satan  has  often  had  great 
advantage  over  the  saints  of  God,  in  their  times  of  deep 
distress ;  and  the  way  by  which  he  gained  this  advantage, 
was  by  absorbing  the  mind  on  self.  In  self  there  was, 
of  course,  no  resource ;  self  was  to  be  the  endurer  and 
sufferer ;  and  by  looking  at  self,  and  not  at  God,  the  pic- 
ture presented  to  the  mind  was  "  suffering  without  help." 
What  picture  could  be  darker ;  what  could  better  suit 
the  purposes  of  the  Evil  One?  Self  without  God! 
Surely  this  is  an  equivalent  for  despair.  Many  can  go 
through  ordinary  sufferings  without  losing  sight  of  God, 


178  PRAYER. 

wlio  yet  fail  wlien  there  comes  suffering  to  the  very  quick ; 
they  are  then  too  hard  pressed,  even  to  bethink  them  of 
their  having  a  friend. 

Let  us  see  how  the  blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  acted 
under  such  circumstances  as  these ;  and  let  Him  be  our 
example.  In  His  agony  in  Gethsemane,  His  nature  was 
touched  to  the  very  quick;  an  apostle  was  then  almost 
in  the  very  act  of  betraying  Him;  those  who  should 
have  watched  with  Him  were  sleeping;  the  cup  of  ex- 
tremest  anguish  was  just  about  to  be  put  into  His  hand ; 
surely,  if  ever  any  one  might  have  been  absorbed  with 
his  own  suffering,  that  one  was  Jesus.  But  God  was  not 
hidden  out  from  Him;  on  the  contrary,  it  was  His 
Father's  face  He  sought;  and  the  appearance  of  the 
strengthening  angel  was  a  proof  that  He  sought  it  not  in 
vain.  Oh !  be  His  example  ours,  in  the  time  when  we 
are  touched  in  the  very  quick  and  marrow  of  our  natures  ; 
then,  closeness  of  suffering  will  be  blessed ;  the  pressure 
will  force  us  upward,  ever  higher  and  higher,  until  we 
come  with  our  sorrows  before  the  throne ;  and  perhaps 
we  shall  find,  that  suffering  in  the  very  quick,  has  led  to 
blessing  in  the  very  quick  also;  that  blessing  has  per- 
vaded an  inner  depth  of  the  soul,  of  whose  very  existence 
we  were  not  aware  before. 

Observe,  also,  how  the  Psalmist  did  not  allow  the  dis- 
covered hollowness  of  human  friendship  to  throw  a  shadow 
on  the  divine.  His  chief  suffering  was  from  his  own 
familiar  friend ;  so  also  was  Jesus' ;  to  which  suffering 
this  portion  of  the  psalm  prophetically  applies.  "  For  it 
was  not  an  enemy  that  reproached  me,  then  I  could  have 
borne  it;   neither  was  it  he  that  hated  me,  that  did 


PRAYER.  i  79 

magnify  himself  against  me,  then  I  would  have  hid  myself 
from  him;  but  it  was  thou,  a  man  mine  equal,  my 
guide,  and  mine  acquaintance;  we  took  sweet  counsel 
together,  and  walked  unto  the  house  of  God  in 
company/^ 

We  are  all  of  us  very  apt  to  lean  on  human  friends, 
and  seek  in  their  advice  and  sympathy,  both  direction 
and  support.  We  would  raise  friendship  above  the  or- 
dinary ebbs  and  flows  of  human  things,  and  consider  it 
in  a  poetical  and  beautiful  light,  as  able  to  resist  all  the 
fluctuations  and  changes,  which  are  occurring  in  the  daily 
wear  and  tear  of  life.  Nothing  shocks  our  sensibilities 
more,  than  a  discovery  of  the  hollowness  of  some 
friendship  on  which  we  built ;  and  the  effects  of  such  a 
discovery,  are  often  very  painful  indeed.  One  of  these 
effects  is,  to  throw  us  in  upon  ourselves ;  we  have  been 
betrayed,  deceived ;  and  we  are  indignant,  and  will  not 
subject  ourselves  to  the  like  again.  Satan,  ever  on  the 
watch  to  turn  each  circumstance  and  feeling  to  his  own 
purpose,  and  make  something  out  of  it,  will  now 
endeavour  to  throw  forward  the  dark  shadow  of  broken 
human  friendship  upon  that  Divine  Friend  who  "  sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother,'^  and  to  shake  as  much  as  he  can 
our  dependence  in  the  friendship  of  God  and  Christ. 
Let  us  observe  where  Jesus  was  found,  in  the  time  both 
of  impotent,  and  of  violated  friendship.  He  was  in 
prayer  with  God,  and  that  Father  and  truest  Friend  was 
unshaken,  amid  all  the  shiverings  of  the  potsherds  of 
the  earth. 

Painful  as  it  is  to  enunciate  such  a  truth,  and  treason- 
able to  all  sentimentality  and  poetry,  it  yet  is  true  that 
human  friendship  is  not  to  be  relied  upon.     The  friend  of 


180  PRAYER. 

to-day  will  look  coldly  -Qpon  us  to-morrow ;  the  man  from 
wliom  we  receive  a  grasp  of  the  hand  now,  will  perhaps 
in  a  little  while  not  even  recognise  ns_,   should  he  meet 
us  in  the  street.     Let  us  be  thankful  for  human  friend- 
ships such  as  they  are,  and  while  they  last ;  but  let  us 
by  no  means  build  upon  them ;  they  may  fail  us  in  the 
trying  hour.    But  let  us  be  careful  to  give  the  Great  and 
True   Friend   a   position   in    our   hearts,    and    in    our 
judgments,  far  higher  than  that  occupied  by  any  earthly 
friend :  let  us  firmly  fix  the  truth  in  our  minds,  that  He 
is   the  friend,  "that  sticketh  closer   than  a   brother/' 
let  us  never  so  much  as  entertain,  for  a  moment,  the 
thought  of  its  being  possible  that  He  can  change ;  let 
Him  be  as  far  removed  from  all  such  doubts,  as  the  sun 
is  from  the  shadows  that  flit  to  and  fro  upon  the  earth. 
Thus  deeply  trusting  God,  we  shall  be  ready  to  resort  to 
Him  in  prayer,  in  the  times  when  we  are  thrown  off  by 
earthly  friends ;  we  shaU  not  have  to  stop  and  deliberate, 
as  to  whether  we  have  a  friend  or  no ;  we  shall  allow 
no  time  for  a  morbid  feeling  to  take  possession  of  our 
minds ;  we  shall  not  fall  into  a  state  of  depression  and 
weakness,  which  would  leave  us  an  easy  prey  to  Satan. 
We  could  not  sustain  ourselves,  under  the  consciousness 
of  being  altogether  friendless  ;  many  of  the  troubles  which 
we  meet  are  too  heavy  to  be  borne  alone ;  henceforth 
let  us  go  at  once  to  God  in  prayer,  when  our  trouble 
comes  upon  us ;  let  us  go  in  the  full  conviction  that  in 
Him  we  have  a  friend,  however  friendless  we  might  be 
on  earth ;  let  us  make  the  Psalmist^s  determination  ours. 
"  As  for  me  I  will  call  upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall 
save  me ;  evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and 
cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice.'' 


PRAYER.  181 

There  remains  yet  one  more  point  brought  before  us 
here^  which  is  of  great  importance ;  i.  e.,  the  Psalmist^ s 
determination  to  continue  in  prayer ;  ^^  evening,  morning, 
and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud." 

We  have  here  continuous  prayer  under  continual  pres- 
sure. We  find  that  the  natural  tendency  of  continual 
pressure  is  to  wear  us  out.  Many  of  us  can  bear  a  quick, 
sharp  pain,  the  very  thought  of  its  being  soon  over 
helping  to  carry  us  through  :  but  prolonged  trial,  even 
though  in  the  aggregate  it  be  not  so  bad  as  the  one 
quick,  sharp  pain,  we  cannot  endure.  I  believe  that  the 
only  way  by  which  continual  pressure  can  be  met,  is 
continuous  prayer ;  when  the  pressure  is  actively  upon 
us,  prayer  in  the  morning  to  be  kept  till  noon,  and  at 
noon  to  be  kept  till  night,  and  at  night  to  be  kept  until 
morning  dawn  again.  There  is,  perhaps,  an  advantage 
in  thus  looking  to  prayer  to  carry  us  on,  as  it  were,  fixed 
stages  of  our  sad  and  weary  way.  There  is  a  definiteness 
in  our  supplication,  which  gives  it  peculiar  reality  and 
life ;  and  seeing  that  the  answer,  if  it  come  at  all,  must 
come  at  once,  we  are  on  the  look  out  for  it,  and  our  faith 
is  stirred  up  to  special  exercise.  Take  the  case  of  a 
person  in  pain ;  every  hour,  even  every  minute,  is  a  trial 
of  endurance ;  there  is  no  immediate  prospect  of  release ; 
the  very  indefiniteness  of  the  time  for  which  the  pain 
may  endure,  adds  to  the  sufferer^ s  trial ;  what  can  uphold 
like  continual  prayer,  and  the  strength  flowing  from  it 
like  the  supplication,  morning,  noon,  and  night  ?  We 
are  sometimes  placed  under  continuous  pressure,  by  the 
provocations  of  those  with  whom  we  live,  or  with  whom 
our  lot  is  cast  in  following  the  ordinary  avocations  of 
Hfe;    some   persons^    circumstances   in   their   trades   or 


182  PRAYER. 

professions  are  such^  that  they  are  perpetually  harassed 
to  make  both  ends  meet^  and  many  a  poor  man  lives 
in  continual  trouble,  day  by  day,  to  feed  and  clothe 
those  who  are  dependent  on  him ;  there  is  nothing 
like  continuous  prayer  for  meeting  all  this  pressure,  it 
will  sustain  under  any  amount  of  burden,  and  for  any 
length  of  time. 

Some  of  Satan^s  temptations  might  be  called  "  wearing 
out  temptations,"  the  very  principle  on  which  they  act 
is  the  exhaustion  of  the  believer;  Satan  calculates  the 
limits  of  man's  endurance,  then  he  lays  on  a  pressure 
which  will  exceed  those  limits,  and  thus  act  upon  the 
exhausted  believer  as  he  will.  Continuous  prayer  will 
effectually  cope  with,  and  foil,  such  an  attempt  as  this; 
and  the  probability  is,  that  when  the  Evil  One  sees  that 
the  Christian  has  the  secret  of  success,  he  will  turn  to 
some  other  method  of  attack.  The  believer  is  now  like 
a  garrison  in  a  state  of  siege ;  to  hold  out  long  enough  is 
to  come  victorious  out  of  the  strife.  As  long  as  Abraham 
continued  in  prayer,  so  long  God  continued  to  bless,  and 
had  the  patriarch  continued  yet  further  than  he  did,  who 
can  tell  what  would  have  been  the  result  ? 

We  have  a  specimen  of  the  continuance  of  assault,  and 
the  resistance  of  continuous  prayer,  in  the  case  of  the 
martyr  Glover. 

Robert  Glover  remained  in  prison  eight  days,  till  the 
bishop's  arrival ;  "  in  which  time,"  he  says,  ^^  I  gave  myself 
continually  to  prayer,  and  meditation  of  the  merciful 
promises  of  God,  made  unto  all,  without  exception  of 
person,  that  call  upon  the  name  of  His  dear  son  Jesus 
Christ.  I  found  in  myself  daily  amendment  of  health  of 
body^  increase  of  peace  in  conscience^  and  many  consola- 


PRAYER.  183 

tions  from  God^  by  the  help  of  His  Holy  Spirit ;  and 
sometimes^  as  it  were^  a  taste  and  glimmering  of  the  life 
to  come^  all  for  His  only  son  Jesus  Christ^s  sake ;  to  Him 
be  all  praise,  for  ever  and  ever  !  The  enemy  ceased  not 
to  assault  me,  often  objecting  to  my  conscience,  my  own 
unworthiness,  through  the  greatness  of  the  benefit,  to  be 
counted  among  the  number  of  them  that  sufier  for 
Christ,  for  His  gospel's  sake.  Against  him  I  replied 
with  the  word  of  God  on  this  sort : — '  What  were  all  those 
whom  God  hath  chosen  from  the  beginning  to  be  His 
witnesses?  Were  they  not  men,  even  as  Paul  and 
Barnabas  declared.  Acts  xiv,  15 ;  subject  to  wickedness, 
sin,  and  imperfection  as  other  men  be  ?  They  were  no 
bringers  of  goodness  to  God,  but  altogether  receivers. 
They  chose  not  God  first,  but  He  chose  them.  They 
loved  not  God  first,  but  He  loved  them  first.  Yea,  He 
both  loved  and  chose  them  when  they  were  his  enemies, 
full  of  sin  and  corruption,  and  void  of  all  goodness.  He 
is,  and  will  be,  still  the  same  God ;  as  rich  in  mercy  to 
forgive  sins,  without  respect  of  person,  to  the  world's 
end,  to  all  them  that  call  upon  Him.  God  is  near.  He 
is  at  hand;  He  is  with  all,  I  say,  and  refuseth  none, 
excepteth  none,  that  faithfully,  in  true  repentance,  call 
upon  Him,  in  what  hour,  what  place,  or  what  time 
soever  it  be.'  It  is  not  arrogancy  nor  presumption  in  any 
man,  to  burden  God  (as  it  were)  with  His  promise,  and 
to  claim  and  challenge  His  aid,  help,  and  assistance  in  all 
our  perils,  dangers,  and  distress ;  calling  upon  Him,  not 
in  the  confidence  of  our  own  godliness,  but  in  the  trust  of 
His  promises,  made  in  Christ.  In  whom,  and  by  whom, 
and  for  whose  sake,  whosoever  boldly  approacheth  to  the 
mercy-seat  of  the  Father,  is  sure  to  receive  whatsoever  is 


184  PRAYER. 

expedient  or  necessary^  eitlier  for  body  or  soul,  in  more 
ample  wise,  and  large  manner,  than  lie  can  well  wish  or 
dare  desire.  His  word  cannot  lie ;  ^  call  upon  Me  in  the 
day  of  trouble,  and  I  will  hear  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
praise  Me.'  I  answered  the  enemy  also  in  this  manner : — 
^  I  am  a  sinner,  and  therefore  unworthy  to  be  a  witness  of 
this  truth.  But  what  then?  Must  I  deny  His  word, 
because  I  am  unworthy  to  profess  it  ?  As  Christ  Himself 
beareth  witness,  ^  he  that  is  ashamed  of  Me,  or  of  My 
words,  of  him  I  will  also  be  ashamed  before  My  Father^ 
and  all  His  angels.'  I  might,  by  like  reason,  forbear  to 
do  any  of  God's  commandments,  because  I  am  not 
worthy  to  do  them.  These  are  the  delusions  of  the 
devil,  and  Satan's  suggestions ;  which  must  be  overcome 
by  continuance  of  prayer,  and  with  the  word  of  God, 
applied,  according  to  the  measure  of  every  man's  gift, 
against  all  assaults  of  the  devil.'" 

These  extracts  record  the  patience  and  faith  of  the 
saint.  The  conclusion  of  his  history  demands  attention. 
Shortly  before  his  martyrdom  he  felt  his  doubts  and 
apprehensions  return;  he  mentioned  the  deadness  of  his 
soul,  and  his  want  of  spiritual  comfort,  notwithstanding 
his  earnest  prayers  night  and  day,  to  Augustine  Beruher, 
one  who  continually  visited  the  sufferers  for  Christ  when- 
ever he  could  find  opportunity.  Beruher  earnestly  prayed 
him  to  wait  the  Lord's  pleasure,  and  not  to  doubt  but 
that  God  would  visit  him  in  his  own  good  time,  and 
satisfy  him  with  abundance  of  consolation.  Beruher  not 
only  expressed  himself  thus  confidently  upon  the  subject, 
but  desired  his  friend  to  make  some  sign,  whereby  he 
might  know  when  this  support  was  vouchsafed. 

Glover  continued  in  doubt  and  gloom,  but  was  still 


PRAYER.  185 

enabled  to  hold  fast  his  purpose.  *'  He  had  continued  all 
night  in  prayer j  and  was  even  come  in  sight  of  the  stake, 
yet  his  mind  was  still  weighed  down  with  a  burden, 
almost  too  heavy  to  be  borne.  But  though  cast  down, 
he  was  not  forsaken.  The  evening  of  a  dark  and  stormy 
day  is  sometimes  illumined  by  the  bright  beams  of  the 
parting  sun ;  thus  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shone  upon 
the  last  moments  of  this  blessed  martyr  '^with  healing 
in  His  wings.^  On  a  sudden  he  was  powerfully  filled 
with  God's  holy  comfort  —a  foretaste  of  heavenly  joys ; 
clapping  his  hands  together,  and  turning  to  his  friend, 
who  stood  among  the  crowd,  he  exclaimed,  ^  Austen,  He 
is  come.  He  is  come!'  and  that  with  joy  and  alacrity, 
rather  as  one  who  had  been  delivered  from  the  fear  of 
dying,  than  as  one  about  to  suffer  the  bitter  pangs  of  a 
cruel  death.     Surely  this  was  the  Lord's  doing.'' 

A  call  for  continuance  in  prayer,  in  behalf  of  their 
children,  is  often  made  on  parents.  They  pray,  and  yet 
see  no  result  of  their  prayers;  the  one  they  had 
endeavoured  to  train  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord,  runs  riot  in  sin,  goes  farther  and  farther 
down  the  road  to  ruin,  plunges  deeper  and  deeper  into 
vice  or  carelessness ;  surely  it  seems  almost  vain  to  pray 
for  such  an  one  as  this.  Even  the  very  ones  who  would 
pray  for  this  unhappy  creature  are  spurned  and  despised 
by  him,  he  would  stop  their  prayers  if  he  could,  but  the 
trial  is  perhaps  one  of  continuance,  and  if  they  continue 
it  may  be  that  they  will  gain  the  victory,  and  this  soul 
will  be  given  to  them  at  last. 

St.  Augustine  has  left  us,  in  his  Confessions,  an  affect- 
ing account  of  the  perseverance  of  a  mother's  love  and 
prayers.     True,  she  had  to  bear  long ;  rebuff,  and  scorn, 

R  2 


183  PRAYER. 

and  deceit  seemed  for  many  a  year  to  be  tlie  only 
payment  of  her  prayers ;  but  "  in  due  season/'  says  the 
apostle,  "ye  shall  reap^  if  ye  faint  nof — she  fainted  not, 
and  so  she  reaped. 

"  My  God_,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "  thou  spakest  to  me 
by  her,  and  warnedst  me  strongly  against  the  ways  of 
vice.  Thy  voice  in  her  I  despised,  and  thought  it  to  be 
only  the  voice  of  a  woman,  which  made  not  the  least 
impression  on  my  mind." 

How  Augustine's  mother  prayed  for  him  will  best  be 
seen  by  what  he  himself  says  in  his  Confessions.  ^'  In 
much  ignorance,  I  at  that  time  derided  Thy  holy 
servants,  and  was  justly  exposed  to  believe  most  ridicu- 
lous absurdities.  And  Thou  sentest  Thy  hand  from 
above,  and  freedst  me  from  this  death  of  evil,  while  my 
mother  was  praying  for  me,  more  solicitous  on  account  of 
the  death  of  my  soul,  than  other  parents  for  the  death  of 
the  body.  She  was  favoured  with  a  dream,  by  which 
Thou  comfortedst  her  soul  with  hope  of  my  recovery. 
She  appeared  to  herself  to  be  standing  on  a  plank,  and 
a  person  came  to  her  and  asked  her  the  cause  of  her 
affliction,  and  on  being  answered,  that  it  was  on  my 
account,  he  charged  her  to  be  of  good  cheer,  for  that 
where  she  was  there  also  I  should  be.  On  which,  she 
immediately  beheld  me  standing  by  her  on  the  same 
plank.  Whence  was  this  but  from  Thee,  gracious 
Omnipotent,  who  takest  care  of  each  and  all  of  us  as  of 
single  persons  ?  Yv'hen  she  related  this  to  me,  I  endeav- 
oured to  evade  the  force  of  it,  by  observing  that  it  might 
mean  to  exhort  her  to  be  v/hat  I  was.  Without  hesita- 
tion she  replied,  '  It  was  not  said,  where  lie  is,  there  thou 
slialt  be ;  but,  where  thou  art,  there  he  shall  be.'     Her 


PRAYER.  187 

prompt  answer  made  a  stronger  impression. on  my  mind 
than  the  dream  itself.  For  nine  years,  while  I  was 
rolling  in  the  filth  of  sin,  often  attempting  to  rise,  and 
still  sinking  deeper,  did  she,  in  vigorous  hope,  persist  in 
incessant  prayer" 

Augustine  had  been  carried  away  with  the  errors  of 
the  Manichees,  and  Monica  his  mother^  in  her  anxiety 
for  his  soulj  entreated  a  certain  bishop  to  undertake  to 
reason  him  out  of  his  errors.  St.  Augustine  says^  '^  He 
was  a  person  not  backward  to  attempt  this,  where  he 
found  a  docile  subject.  *^But  your  son/  says  he,  '^is  too 
much  elated  at  present,  and  carried  away  with  the 
pleasing  novelty  of  his  error,  to  regard  any  arguments, 
as  appears  by  the  pleasure  he  takes  in  puzzling  many 
ignorant  persons  with  his  captious  questions.  Let  him 
alone ;  only  continue  praying  to  the  Lord  for  him ;  he 
will,  in  the  course  of  his  study,  discover  his  error.  I 
myself,  perverted  by  my  mother,  was  once  a  Manichee, 
and  read  almost  all  their  books,  and  yet  at  length  was 
convinced  of  my  error  without  the  help  of  any  disputant.^ 
All  this  satisfied  not  my  anxious  parent ;  with  floods  of 
tears  she  persisted  in  her  request;  when  at  last  he,  a 
little  out  of  temper,  on  account  of  her  importunity,  said, 
^  Begone,  good  woman,  it  is  not  possible  that  the  child  of 
such  tears  should  perish.^''  For  the  space  of  nine  years, 
viz.,  from  the  nineteenth  to  the  twenty-eighth  year  of  his 
age,  Augustine  lived,  as  he  himself  tells  us,  '' deceived 
and  deceiving  others,  seducing  men  into  various  lusts, 
openly,  by  what  are  called  the  liberal  arts,  and  secretly, 
by  a  false  religion ;  in  the  former,  proud,  in  the  latter, 
superstitious;  in  all  things  seeking  vain  glory,  and,  to 
complete  the  dismal  picture,  a  slave  to  the  lusts  of  the 


188  PRAYER. 

flesh/'  In  his  twenty-ninth  year^  we  find  his  mother 
still  praying ,  although  things  seemed  as  bad  or  worse  than 
they  had  been  before.  God  was,  however,  about  to  work 
a  great  change  upon  Augustine's  heart,  and  as  he  begins 
to  trace  His  dealings  with  him,  he  shews  us  his  mother 
still  praying.  "Thy  hands,  my  God,  (said  he  in  his 
Confessions)  in  the  secret  of  Thy  providence,  forsook  not 
my  soul.  Day  and  night  the  prayers  of  my  mother  came 
up  before  Thee,  and  Thou  wroughtest  upon  me  in  ways 
marvellous  indeed,  but  secret.''  Augustine  sails  for  Rome, 
proposing  to  teach  rhetoric  in  that  city ;  but  God  had 
arranged  that  his  going  there  should  be  the  first  step  in 
the  immediate  chain  of  providences  which  were  to  lead  to 
his  salvation.  And  where  was  Monica?  Following  him 
to  the  sea-shore,  to  prevent  his  going.  God's  arrange- 
ments for  the  answers  of  her  prayers  were  about  to  work 
the  one  into  the  other ;  but,  like  many  a  praying  mother, 
Monica  knew  not  this.  "  The  true  cause  of  this  removal 
was  at  that  time  hidden  both  from  me  and  my  mother, 
who  bewailed  me  going  away,  and  followed  me  to  the 
sea-side ;  but  I  deceived  her,  though  she  held  me  close, 
with  a  view  either  to  call  me  back,  or  to  go  along  with 
me.  I  pretended  that  I  only  meant  to  keep  company 
with  a  friend,  until  he  set  sail;  and  witd  difficulty 
persuaded  her  to  remain  that  night  in  a  place  dedicated 
to  the  memory  of  Cyprian.  But  that  night  I  departed 
privily ;  and  she  continued  weeping  and  praying.  Thus 
did  I  deceive  my  mother,  and  such  a  mother !  Yet  was 
I  preserved  from  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  foul  as  I  was  in 
all  the  mire  of  sin ;  and  a  time  was  coming,  when  Thou 
would'st  wipe  away  my  mother's  tears  with  which  she 
watered  the  earth,  and  even  forgive  this  my  base  undu- 


PHAYER.  189 

tifulness.  And  what  did  she  beg  of  Thee^  my  God,  at 
that  time,  but  that  I  might  be  hindered  from  saihng? 
Thou,  in  profound  wisdom,  regarding  the  hinge  of  her 
desire,  neglectedst  the  particular  object  of  her  present 
prayers,  that  Thou  mightest  gratify  the  general  object  of 
her  devotions.  The  wind  favoured  us,  and  carried  us 
out  of  the  sight  of  the  shore,  when  in  the  morning,  she 
was  distracted  with  grief,  and  filled  Thine  ears  with 
groans  and  complaints ;  whilst  Thou,  in  contempt  of  her 
violent  agonies,  hurriedst  me  along  by  my  lusts  to 
complete  their  desires,  and  punishedst  her  carnal  desire 
with  the  just  scourge  of  immoderate  griefs.  She  loved 
my  presence  with  her,  as  is  natural  to  mothers ;  though 
in  her  the  affection  was  micommonly  strong;  and  she 
knew  not  what  joy  Thou  wast  preparing  for  her  from  my 
absence.  She  knew  not,  therefore  she  wept  and  wailed. 
Yet  after  she  had  wearied  herself  in  accusing  my  perfidy 
and  cruelty,  she  returned  to  her  former  employment  of 
praying  for  me,  and  went  home,  while  I  went  to  Rome.*^ 

At  Rome  Augustine  was  seized  with  illness,  and  as  he 
himself  says,  "  drew  nigh  to  hell ; "  and  when,  after  his 
conversion,  he  writes  the  story  of  his  escape  from  the 
very  jaws  of  the  grave,  his  motlier's  prayers  are  again 
the  prominent  features  which  meet  our  view.  "  Morning 
and  evening,'^  he  says,  "  she  frequented  the  church,  to 
hear  Thy  word,  and  to  pray,  and  the  salvation  of  her  son 
was  the  constant  burden  of  her  supplications.  Thou 
heardedst  her,  O  Lord,  and  performedst  in  due  season 
what  Thou  hadst  predestinated.  Thou  recoveredst  me 
from  the  fever,  that  at  length  I  might  obtain  also  a 
recovery  of  still  greater  importance.^^ 

From  Rome,  Augustine  went  to  Milan,  and  there  we 


190  PRAYER. 

find  the  praying  mother  again.  Augustine  describes  her 
as  "courageous  through  piety,  following  him  by  land 
and  sea,  and  secure  of  God's  favour  in  all  dangers."  And 
there  she  was,  the  same  praying  mother  that  she  had 
been  elsewhere,  her  son's  salvation  being  her  one  grand 
absorbing  thought.  At  length,  the  long  looked,  long 
prayed  for  time  arrived,  and  Monica's  petitions  were 
heard.  The  teaching  of  Ambrose,  was  made,  in  part,  the 
means  of  Augustine's  conversion ;  "  in  part "  we  say,  for 
there  were  special  interferences  of  God  in  its  accomplish- 
ment ;  and  after  a  fierce  struggle,  after  the  Evil  Spirit 
had  rent  and  torn  him,  now  throwing  him  into  the  fire, 
and  now  into  the  water,  he  was  delivered  from  his  power, 
he  arose  from  the  earth  a  victor  in  the  strife,  a  converted 
man !  an  heir  of  glory !  an  answer  to  a  mother's  con- 
tinued prayers ! 

The  closing  scene  of  Monica's  life  may  cheer  some 
sorrowing  parent,  who  has  long  prayed  and  apparently 
prayed  in  vain.  Were  not  years  of  prayer  well  repaid  by 
that  one  hour  by  the  river  side,  which  almost  closed  the 
intercourse  of  the  praying  mother  and  the  converted  son. 
*^^It  was  through  Thy  secret  appointment,"  says  Augus- 
tine, "  that  she  and  I  stood  alone  at  a  window  facing  the 
east,  in  a  house  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber,  where  we 
were  preparing  ourselves  for  our  voyage.  Our  discourse 
was  highly  agreeable,  and  forgetting  the  past,  we 
endeavoured  to  conceive  aright  the  nature  of  the  eternal 
life  of  the  saints.  It  was  evident  to  us,  that  no  carnal 
delights  deserved  to  be  named  on  this  subject;  erecting 
our  spirits  more  ardently,  we  ascended  above  the  noblest 
parts  of  the  material  creation,  to  the  consideration  of  our 
own  minds,  and  passing  above  them,  we  attempted  to 


PRAYER.  191 

reach  heaven  itself,  to  come  to  Thee,  by  whom  all  things 
were  made.  There  our  hearts  were  enamoured,  and 
there  we  held  fast  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and 
returned  to  the  sound  of  our  own  voice,  which  gave  us 
an  emblem  of  the  Divine  A¥ord.  We  said,  '  if  the  flesh, 
the  imagination,  and  every  tongue  should  be  silenced, 
for  they  proclaim,  '  We  made  not  ourselves,  but  He  who 
remaineth  for  ever ; '  if  these  things  should  now  hold 
their  peace,  and  God  alone  should  speak,  not  by  any 
emblems  or  created  things,  but  by  Himself,  so  that  we 
could  hear  His  word ;  should  this  be  continued  and  other 
visions  be  withdrawn,  and  this  alone  seize  and  absorb 
the  spectator  for  ever,  is  not  this  the  meaning  of  ^  Enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord?^  At  that  moment  the 
world  appeared  to  us  of  no  value  :  and  she  said,  '  Son,  I 
have  now  no  delight  in  life.  What  I  should  do  here, 
and  why  I  am  here,  I  know  not,  the  hope  of  this  life 
being  quite  spent.  One  thing  only,  your  conversion,  was 
an  object  for  which  I  wished  to  live.  My  God  has  given 
me  this  in  larger  measure.  What  do  I  here?^  ^'  Five 
days  after  this,  this  praying  mother  fell  into  a  fever,  and 
on  the  ninth  day  she  died ;  but  she  being  dead  yet  speak- 
eth,  and  her  voice  says,  "  Christian  mothers,  continue  in 
prayer." 

Yes,  Christian  parents,  continue  in  prayer  on  behalf  of 
the  apparently  lost  and  ruined  one;  if  he  go  to  the 
haunt  of  vice,  let  your  prayers  track  his  footsteps  like 
angels  of  mercy ;  if  he  snatch  the  intoxicating  glass,  let 
your  voice  still  seek  for  him  the  water  of  life;  if  he 
gamble  away  his  substance  in  riotous  living,  yet  pray  for 
him,  that  even  when  he  has  lost  all,  or,  if  it  must  be, 
yet  through  the  loss  of  all,  he  may  come  to  himself,  and 


193  PRAYER. 

say,  '■^  how  man}'-  liired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread 
euough  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger  !  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father, 
I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  before  thee,  and  am 
no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son,  make  me  as  one  of 
thy  hired  servants/^  Who  can  teU  at  what  moment  and 
in  what  way,  the  many  prayers  of  father  and  mother,  of 
sisters  and  brothers,  will  put  forth  their  wondrous  power  ? 
It  may  be  that  the  prodigal  will  be  arrested  in  the  very 
midst  of  his  career  of  sin,  as  St.  Paul  was  arrested  by 
the  light  from  heaven,  and  suddenly  find  himself  bound, 
though  not  with  hempen  ropes ;  struck  down,  though  not 
with  human  hand ;  arrested,  though  not  by  any  earthly 
writ;  at  some  unexpected  time,  in  some  unlikely  place, 
he  may  find  himself  under  the  influence  of  a  spell  which 
he  can  neither  fight  against  nor  understand,  and  turn 
homeward,  although  perhaps  he  knows  not  why,  yet 
never  to  leave  it  again.  Thus  have  many  wanderers 
been  reclaimed,  and  their  voices  now  swell  the  chorus  of 
the  redeemed;  and  the  praises  which  they  sing,  and 
which  make  melody  in  the  ear  of  God  Himself,  are  the 
fruits  which  have  been  brought  forth  by  many  bitter 
prayers ! * 

*  The  Rev.  Dr.  Leland,  Professor  in  the  Theological  Seminary 
at  Columbia,  S.  C.  stated  in  a  prayer  meeting  at  Saratoga,  that  lie 
had  ascertained  by  personal  inquiry  that  ninety  nine  of  one 
hundred  students  in  that  seminary  received  their  first  religious 
impressions  from  pious  mothers.  At  the  convention  of  'Young 
Men's  Christian  Association"  at  Troy,  N.  Y.  which  was  atten- 
ded by  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  young  men,  those,  whose 
mothers  were  praying  women  were  asked  to  rise,  when  nearly 
all  rose,  thus  testifying  to  the  efficacy  of  the  prayers  of  godly 
mothers. 


PRAYER,  193 

"  A  weather-beaten  sailor^  on  making  his  homeward 
passage,  as  he  doubled  the  stormy  Cape,  encountered  a 
dreadful  tempest.  The  mother  had  heard  of  the  ship 
outside  the  Cape,  and  was  waiting,  with  the  anxiety  a 
mother  alone  can  know,  to  see  her  son.  But  now  the 
storm  had  arisen,  and  that,  when  the  ship  was  in  the 
most  dangerous  place.  Fearing  that  each  blast,  as  it 
swept  the  raging  deep,  might  howl  the  requiem  of  her 
son,  with  faith  strong  in  God,  she  commenced  praying 
for  his  safety.  At  this  moment  news  came  that  the 
vessel  was  lost. 

"  The  father,  an  unconverted  man,  had  till  this,  pre- 
served a  sullen  silence,  but  now  he  wept  aloud.  The 
mother  observed,  '  It  is  in  the  hands  of  Him  who  does 
all  things  well ; '  and  again  the  soft  and  softened  spirit 
bowed,  commending  her  son  and  her  partner,  in  an 
audible  voice,  broken  only  by  the  bursting  of  a  full 
heart,  to  God. 

"Darkness  had  now  spread  her  mantle  abroad,  and 
they  retired — but  not  to  rest — and  anxiously  waited  for 
the  morning,  hoping,  at  least,  that  some  relic  of  their 
lost  one  might  be  found. 

"  The  morning  came.  The  winds  were  hushed  and 
the  ocean  lay  comparatively  calm,  as  though  its  fury  had 
subsided  since  its  \ictim  was  no  more.  At  this  moment 
the  little  gate  in  front  of  the  dwelling  turned  on  its 
hinges,  the  door  opened,  and  their  son,  their  lost,  loved 
son  stood  before  them.  The  vessel  had  been  driven  into 
one  of  the  many  harbours  on  the  coast,  and  was  safe. 
The  father  rushed  to  meet  him.  His  mother,  hanging 
on  his  neck,  earnestly  exclaimed,  '  My  child,  how  came 
you  here?'      '^ Mother^'  said  he,  as  the  tears  coursed 

s 


194  PRAYER. 

down  Ids  sunburnt  face,  ^I  knew  you^d  pray  me  home ! ' 
What  a  spectacle!  A  wild_,  reckless  youth  acknow- 
ledging the  efficacy  of  prayer !  It  seems  he  was  aware 
of  his  perilous  situation,  and  that  he  laboured  with  the 
thoughts,  '^My  mother  prays — Christian's  prayers  are 
answered,  and  I  may  be  saved/  This  reflection,  when 
almost  exhausted  with  fatigue,  and  ready  to  give  up  in 
despair,  gave  him  fresh  courage,  and  with  renewed  effort 
he  laboured  till  the  harbour  was  gained.  Christian 
mother,  go  thou  and  do  likewise.  Pray  for  that  son  who 
is  likely  to  be  wrecked  in  the  storm  of  life,  and  his 
prospects  blasted  for  ever.     He  may  be  saved." 

One  word  I  would  add  of  counsel  to  such  as  are  thus 
praying.  Do  not  shut  the  door  against  the  answers  to 
your  prayers,  do  not  so  act  as  in  point  of  fact  to  say,  '^  I 
will  leave  no  opening  by  which  the  wayward  one  can 
return."  Many  a  poor  wayward  one  would  have  returned, 
if  only  the  wanderer's  path  had  been  kept  clear,  if  only 
the  door  of  home  had  been  kept  upon  the  latch.  We 
may  learn  a  lesson  from  the  conduct  of  a  poor  woman 
whose  misguided  daughter  left  the  paternal  roof,  and 
wandered  into  the  ways  of  sin.  Many  were  the  prayers 
which  the  mother  offered  for  her  misguided  child ;  and 
when  she  finished  her  prayer  at  night,  the  last  thing  she 
did  was  to  go  and  see  that  the  door  was  left  on  the  latch. 
If  her  child  were  moved  by  God  to  return,  she  should 
always  have  a  shelter  to  which  to  come.  It  was  well 
that  God  put  this  into  her  heart ;  for  one  night  the  poor 
girl  turned  her  steps  towards  home,  and  tried  the  latch, 
and  came  in,  and  crept  upstairs  to  her  accustomed  room, 
and  went  out  to  sin  no  more  again.  Keep  the  heart's 
door,  keep  the  house  door  on  the  latch,  for  the  answer  to 


PRAYER.  195 

prayer  may  come  in  an  hour  of  which  you  are  not  aware ; 
that  hearty  that  house,  is  not  degraded,  which  has  written 
upon  its  portals,  "  The  wanderer's  home/' 

The  subjects  of  Intensity  in  Prayer,  and  of  Belief  in 
Prayer,  will  meet  us  in  subsequent  pages,  we  need  not 
therefore  dwell  upon  them  here,  even  though  they  be 
brought  before  us  by  the  passage  which  we  have  been 
considering;  there  is  one  point,  however,  to  which  I 
wish  to  draw  attention  before  this  chapter  comes  to  a 
close ;  i,  e.,  the  marvel  of  our  voice  being  heard  at  all. 
"Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry 
aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice.'' 

It  is  indeed  a  wonder  that  our  voice  is  heard  at  all ! 
So  weak,  so  broken  is  it  at  times,  that  it  seems  mar- 
vellous that  it  should  be  heard,  even  in  silence  the  most 
intense.  But  heard  it  is,  not  in  the  midst  of  silence, 
but  of  myriad  sounds.  The  cries  of  a  groaning  world 
are  entering  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth ;  the  songs 
of  praising  and  adoring  beings  are  ascending  continually 
before  His  throne ;  the  rush  of  myriad  worlds  as  they 
whirl  through  space,  is  listened  to  by  the  One  from 
whose  hand  they  were  rolled  forth  upon  their  wondrous 
paths !  but  despite  all  these,  the  mind  of  the  Infinite 
One  is  undistracted,  and  listens  in  undisturbed  calmness 
to  the  whisperings  of  the  least  among  His  saints.  O 
my  soul,  be  deep  in  thy  belief  of  this ;  and  in  that  belief, 
even  though  thou  canst  pray  with  but  a  whispering 
voice,  yet  pray;  let  the  belief  of  the  Psalmist  be  also 
thine,  "Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray,  and 
cry  aloud  :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice" 


196 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    "I  WILL"   OE  PRAYEB  IN  ^OVERWHELMING 
TROUBLE.' 

Psalm  Ixi,  2.  "  From  the  end  of  the  earth  will  I  cry  unto 
Thee ;  when  my  heart  is  overwhelmed,  lead  me  to  the  rock  that 
is  higher  than  J." 

¥E  are  told  in  the  word  of  God,  that  '^  man  is  born 
to  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upward  ;^^  and  these 
troubles,,  which  are  the  heritage  of  man  as  a  poor  fallen 
sinner,  are  not  only  many,  but  also  various ;  so  that  each 
man  has  plagues  which  his  own  heart  knows,  and  which 
are,  perhaps,  unknown  to  all  beside.  To  this  heritage, 
you  and  I,  dear  reader,  were  born,  and  into  it  we  have 
come;  the  heritages  of  earthly  lands  and  gold  are 
alienable,  but  the  heritage  of  sorrow  is  sure. 

These  troubles  are,  as  we  have  just  observed,  of 
various  kinds ;  some  are  provoking,  some  are  gnawing , 
some  are  perplexing ,  and  some  are  overivhelming ;  but 
whatever  form  they  assume,  they  are  troubles,  and  are 
part  of  the  wear  and  tear  of  life. 

There  is  a  class  of  troubles  which  is  eminently  pro- 
voking. Perhaps  no  serious  results  hang  upon  them,  but 
they  are  peculiarly  calculated  to  try  and  vex  our  tempers, 


PRAl-ER.  197 

to  stir  up  our  feelings,  to  disturb  the  equanimity  of  our 
minds,  to  excite  our  combative  propensities;  tbey  are 
tlie  stones  in  the  shoes  of  daily  life,  and  as  such  they  are 
troubles,  and  it  would  be  foolish  to  call  them  by  any 
other  name. 

There  is  another  class,  which  might  be  called  gnawing 
troubles.  Such  eat  slowly  into  the  hearths  vitals ;  such 
fret  silently,  as  the  moth  does  the  garment ;  they  destroy 
life's  brightest  colourings,  and  its  most  beautiful  patterns, 
and  leave  nothing  but  wreck  and  ruin  wherever  their 
tooth  has  come.  There  are  many  in  the  world  who 
have  a  gnawing  at  their  hearts,  which  is  to  them  what 
the  canker  is  to  the  bud ;  it  eats  silently  and  surely,  and 
leaves  a  few  shrivelled  leaves,  where  there  might  have 
been  a  bunch  of  full-blown  flowers,  i 

Some  are  afflicted  with  perplexing  and  distracting 
troubles.  Such  troubles  do  not  gnaw  the  heart,  they  are 
too  intrusive  and  pressing  for  that ;  they  put  a  person  to 
his  wits'  ends ;  they  confuse  and  harass  him,  and  almost 
wear  him  out  by  the  anxiety  to  which  they  expose  him. 
Such  are  very  often  the  troubles  of  trade ;  of  mothers 
with  large  families ;  of  persons  placed  in  difficult  circum- 
stances in  life,  and  so  forth ;  and  many  a  time  they  are 
half  driven  out  of  their  senses,  by  the  dilemmas  in 
which  they  are  placed.  If  only  they  knew  what  to  do, 
they  would  do  it;  but  that  is  the  perplexity,  and  it 
undeniably  brings  its  trouble  with  it. 

Then,  there  are  overwhelming  troubles.  Troubles 
which  sweep  over  a  man,  just  as  the  mighty  billows  of 
the  ocean  sweep  over,  and  submerge  the  sands.  These  are 
troubles  which  struggle  with  us,  as  it  were,  for  life  and 
death ;.  troubles  which  would  leave  us  helpless  wrecks ; 

s  2 


198  PRAYER. 

troubles  wliicTi  enter  into  conflict  with  us  in  our  prime, 
which  grapple  with  us  in  our  health  and  strength_,  and 
threaten  to  conquer  us  by  sheer  force,  no  matter  how 
bravely  we  may  contend.  Such  trouble  the  Psalmist 
knew.  '^'^When  my  heart  is  overwhelmed,  lead  me  to 
the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  I." 

It  is  not,  however,  in  this  latter  class  of  trouble  alone 
that  we  have  need  to  take  up  the  Psalmist^ s  determina- 
tion, and  say,  "  I  will  cry  unto  Thee.^^  There  is  but  the 
one  refuge  in  all  trouble,  be  it  great  or  small,  and  if  we 
seek  any  other,  we  shall  assuredly  but  increase  our 
distress.  He  who  is  our  refuge  in  the  greater,  will  not 
refuse  to  be  our  refuge  in  the  lesser  also ;  the  same  love 
which  will  befriend  us  in  the  overwhelmings  of  trouble, 
will  not  cast  us  off  in  the  time  of  perplexities  and  provo- 
cations. 

In  the  present  chapter,  we  have  to  occupy  ourselves  in 
deep  waters,  and  passing  from  all  minor  trials,  to  con- 
sider those  overwhelmings,  in  which  we  need  the  Rock 
that  is  higher  than  ourselves. 

Cryings  from  the  ends  of  the  earth, 

Cryings  in  overwhelmings  of  heart,  and 

The  hearfs  cry  and  desire  under  these  circumstances, 
are  to  form  the  subjects  of  our  consideration  now. 

And  first,  a  few  words  are  to  be  said  about  "  Cryings 
from  the  ends  of  the  earth. ^^  The  centre  of  all  worship 
was  Jerusalem,  '^  whither  the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes  of 
the  Lord,  unto  the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give  thanks 
unto  the  name  of  the  Lord :"  Psalm  cxxii,  4.  To 
be  prevented  then  from  coming  up  to  Jerusalem  was 
a  serious  trouble   to  any  one  who  really  loved   God, 


PRAYER.  199 

and  stood  in  covenant  relationsliip  to  Him.  '^^How 
amiable  (says  the  Psalmist  in  Psalm  Ixxxiv)  are 
Thy  tabernacles  O  Lord  of  Hosts.  My  soul  longeth, 
yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord,  my 
heart,  and  my  flesh  crieth  out  for  the  Living  God, 
a  day  in  Thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand,  I  had 
rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  my  God,  than  to 
dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness." 

The  Psalmist  here  puts  himself  in  the  position  of  one, 
who  is  not  only  prevented  for  a  season  from  coming  up 
to  the  holy  place,  but  who  is  driven  as  far  as  possible 
therefrom — even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  he  is  separated 
from  all  ordinances,  helps,  and  privileges,  but  he  will  not 
on  that  account  allow  himself  to  be  separated  from  his 
God ;  "  from  the  end  of  the  earth  will  I  cry  unto  Thee." 

There  are  some  who  seem  to  be  living  on  ordinances 
rather  than  on  God,  and  separation  from  them  seems 
almost  to  bring  death  into  their  souls ;  they  know  much 
of  a  God  in  ordinances,  they  know  comparatively  little  of 
a  God  without  ordinances. 

Now  ordinances  are  very  precious,  and  so  weak  are 
we,  that  we  need  all  the  helps  we  can  get ;  but  what,  if 
we  be  deprived  of  them,  if  we  be  as  it  were  driven  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth  ? 

This  may  happen  to  us.  Some  of  God^s  dear  children 
have  been  laid  for  years  upon  beds  of  sickness,  and  some 
have  been  located  in  distant  regions,  and  others  have  had 
their  lot  cast  amid  unsympathetic  and  ungodly  people,  so 
that  they  have  been  constrained  to  cry,  "  Woe  is  me,  that 
I  sojourn  in  Mesech,  that  I  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Kedar; 
my  soul  hath  long  dwelt  with  him  that  hateth  peace." 

Under  these  circumstances  what  is  to  be  done  ?     We 


200  PRAYER. 

must  cry  unto  God,  from  the  place  and  position  in  which 
we  are,  as  Jonah  did;  and  not  wait  until  we  are  more 
favourably  circumstanced,  for  thus  we  might  have  to 
wait  for  ever.  God  expects  us  to  make  the  best  of  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  we  are  placed. 

Let  us  be  careful  not  to  allow  ourselves  to  be  overcome 
by  the  depression  which  is  the  natural  consequent  of  a 
position  of  isolation,  and  of  deprivation  of  privilege  and 
help.  We  are  not  without  privilege  even  when  visible 
privileges  are  removed ;  we  have  the  highest  privilege, 
then,  of  all ;  we  can  cry  to  God  direct ;  our  cry  will 
ascend  straight  to  His  throne  from  the  end  of  the  earth. 

Here  there  is  assuredly  great  encouragement  for  many 
an  unhappily  situated  child  of  God;  perhaps  in  his 
family,  father  and  mother,  sisters  and  brothers,  are  all 
against  him ;  perhaps  in  the  lone  corner  of  some  far  off 
settlement,  he  never  hears  the  sound  of  the  sabbath  bell, 
he  never  sees  the  face  of  a  minister  of  God ;  or  it  may 
be,  that  year  after  year  he  lies  upon  a  bed  of  suffering 
and  pain ;  oh  let  him  not  be  downhearted ;  oh  let  him  not 
think  himself  an  outcast  from  the  throne  of  heaven,  from 
the  mercy  seat,  from  the  altar,  from  '^  The  Priest  V  If 
Jesus  be  ours,  we  may  cry  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  as 
well  as  from  those  spots  which  man  has  most  consecrated 
to  the  worship  of  the  Lord ;  no  matter  where  we  are,  we 
come  in  a  moment  before  the  mercy  seat,  we  bring  our 
sacrifice  to  the  altar,  we  have  the  services  of  a  priest,  the 
services  of  Jesus,  who  knows  in  His  wide-spread  power 
no  limit  of  time,  no  boundary  of  space. 

We  now  come  to  consider  overwhelmings  of  heart — 
times    of  sad   and   bitter   trial,    with    which   many   a 


PRAYER.  201 

tempest-tost  child  of  God  is  only  too  familiar,  and  in 
which  the  cry  to  Him  is  the  only  available  resource. 
We  have  many  instances  of  these  overwhelmings  in  the 
Psalms.  Psalms  cii,  Ixxvii,  part  of  Psalm  cvii,  and 
Psalm  cxlii,  will  serve  as  examples  ;^  and  onr  business 
now  is,  to  enquire  into  the  condition  of  the  poor  heart 
when  thus  overwhelmed. 

The  idea  that  is  brought  before  us  here,  is  that  of  a 
man  amid  the  waters — over  whom  those  waters  have  the 
mastery — who  would  fain  buffet  with  them  if  he  could — 
but  who  is  conquered  by  them,  so  that,  unless  there  be 
an  interference  on  his  behalf,  he  must  die.  In  such  an 
overwhelming 

The  natural  power  of  resistance  is  gone.  Man  makes 
a  great  deal  of  his  natural  powers ;  he  will  always  use 
them  to  repel  anything  which  threatens  injury  to  his  life ; 
but  he  may  be  reduced  to  such  a  state,  as  not  to  be  able 
to  put  forth  those  powers  at  all.     His  eagerness  to  act 

*  Jonah  is  a  fit  representation  of  a  man  crying  from  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  and  from  amidst  overwhelmings  of  the  most  terrible 
kind.  "  Then  Jonah  cried  unto  the  Lord  his  God,  out  of  the 
fish's  belly,  and  said :  *  I  cried  by  reason  of  mine  affliction  unto 
the  Lord,  and  He  heard  me,  out  of  the  belly  of  hell  cried  I,  and 
Thou  heardest  my  voice.'  For  Thou  hadst  cast  me  into  the  deep, 
in  the  midst  of  the  seas  ;  and  the  floods  compassed  me  about ;  all 
Thy  billows  and  Thy  waves  passed  over  me.  Then  I  said,  *  I  am 
cast  out  of  Thy  sight ;  yet  I  will  look  again  toward  Thy  holy 
temple.'  The  waters  compassed  me  about,  even  to  the  soul ;  the 
depth  closed  me  round  about,  the  weeds  were  wrapped  about  my 
head.  I  went  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the  mountains  ;  the  earth 
with  her  bars  was  about  me  for  ever ;  yet  hast  Thou  brought  up 
my  life  from  corruption,  O  Lord  my  God.  When  my  soul  fainted 
within  me  I  remembered  the  Lord,  and  my  prayer  came  in  unto 
Thee,  into  Thine  holy  temple."     Jonah  ii,  1 — 7. 


202  PRAYER. 

may  be  as  intense  as  ever,  his  dread  of  injury  as  acute, 
but  his  natural  powers  of  resistance  are  gone.  We  can 
scarcely  imagine  any  circumstances  more  distressing 
than  these ;  if  the  mind  were  stupified,  and  the  impend- 
ing danger  thus  unappreciated,  the  case  would  not  be 
half  so  bad ;  but  to  feel  the  enemy  coming  upon  us,  or, 
it  may  be,  actually  upon  us,  and  to  have  no  power  of 
resistance,  is  terrible  indeed.  The  man  overwhelmed  by 
waters,  with  his  strength  exhausted,  and  his  limbs 
powerless  to  resist,  but  flung  hither  and  thither  by  the 
wild  billows  at  their  will,  must  feel  his  last  few  moments 
of  perfect  consciousness  terrible  indeed ;  and  yet  this  is 
the  condition  of  children  of  God  at  times.  Men  who 
have  been  down  in  deep  waters  wQl  tell  you  that  they 
have  been  thus  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  that  they  have  had 
a  terrible  consciousness  of  the  power  of  the  enemy,  and 
of  their  own  helplessness  while  they  were  thus  tried. 
There  are  many  degrees  of  spiritual  trial,  which  we  can 
resist  by  the  exercise  of,  what  I  might  be  permitted  to 
call,  the  natural  powers  of  the  soul.  We  can  throw  off 
many  doubts  by  reasoning  against  them,  and  we  can 
overcome  many  temptations,  by  a  simple  determination 
that  we  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  them;  but  in 
circumstances  like  the  present  we  have  lost  our 
old  powers,  we  cannot  resist,  we  are  paralyzed  for  a 
season.  Intense  depression  generally  accompanies  such 
a  state  as  this ;  we  have  ceased  to  be  what  we  used  to  be 
formerly,  and  as  we  miss  the  old  powers  which  we  once 
exercised  with  effect,  we  feel  inclined  to  say,  there 
remains  nothing  for  us  but  to  die. 

At  such  a    season  as  this,  where  is  our  faith  ?     I  do 
not   mean   any   extraordinary    faith,    but    the    simple. 


PRAYER.  203 

ordinary  faith,  wherewith  we  carried  on  the,  ordinary- 
business  of  our  spiritual  life.  We  used  to  do  a  good 
deal  through  the  instrumentality  of  that  faith ;  it  seemed 
just  as  natural  to  us  in  daily  use,  as  any  of  the  ordinary 
powers  of  our  bodies ;  we  threw  off  many  Satanic  assaults 
by  it ;  now  it  can  do  absolutely  nothing :  we  judge  our- 
selves and  say,  "  we  have  no  faith  at  all.^^  This  is,  no 
doubt,  being  brought  very  low ;  and  when  we  are  in  this 
state,  there  are  no  fierce  strugglings  of  soul;  we  are 
too  nearly  drowned  for  them ;  we  are  past  struggling,  and 
we  seem  to  be  almost  at  the  mercy  of  the  Evil  One. 

As  to  our  love  to  God,  there  was  a  time  when  we 
could  have  done  much  through  that  also;  that  love 
would  have  carried  us  through  great  trials,  it  would,  by 
the  simple  fact  of  its  keeping  us  close  to  Christ,  have 
enabled  us  to  defeat  many  of  the  temptations  which 
are  now  almost  triumphant :  but  now  that  love  seems 
cold,  it  appears  to  us  to  have  lost  its  energies,  it  certainly 
does  not  keep  our  heart  in  peace  as  it  used  to  do.  The 
very  consciousness  of  our  dead  state  as  regards  love 
helps  to  unnerve  us,  and  to  make  us  more  helpless  amid 
the  waves  which  buffet  and  submerge  us.  Some  of  our 
readers  have,  perhaps,  never  had  any  sad  experiences  like 
these,  but  others  no  doubt  have ;  they  have  felt  themselves 
helpless  amid  the  billows,  their  powers  were  numbed, 
and  their  case  seemed  well  nigh  as  bad  as  it  could  be. 
Oh  !  what  an  inexpressible  mercy  is  it,  that  when  we  are 
thus  bereft  of  our  ordinary  spiritual  powers,  and  apparently 
at  the  mercy  of  every  billow  that  dashes  over  us,  we  are 
not  left  to  "  self,"  or  "  selFs  "  resources,  or  anything 
belonging  to  ^^  self "  at  all ;  that  One  whom  the  spiritual 
as  well  as  the  natural  waves  must  obey,  is  ready  to  put 


204  PRAYER. 

fortli  His  Sovereign  power  on  our  behalf !  But  for  this,, 
many  a  Christian  man  must  have  been  drowned ;  but  for 
this,  the  demons  of  the  storm  must  have  had  their  own 
way  with  him;  his  limbs  were  unstrung,  his  eyes  were 
blinded,  his  brain  was  reeling,  his  heart  was  chilling ; 
and  what  hindered  their  doing  withhim  even  as  they  listed  ? 
God  gave  his  poor  child,  under  these  circumstances,  just 
strength  enough  to  cry  to  Him ;  the  cry  was  perhaps 
feeble;  it  was  almost  drowned  by  the  violence  of  the 
storm ;  it  seemed  more  like  the  gurgling  of  a  drowning 
man  than  anything  else,  but  it  was  a  prayer,  and  the 
prayer  hearing  and  prayer  honouring  God  did  not  despise 
it ;  He  heard,  and  when  He  hears  His  child  is  safe. 

Let  us,  when  we  find  our  ordinary  powers  of  resistance 
gone,  take  care  lest  we  abandon  ourselves  to  despair,  as 
though  now,  indeed,  there  is  no  hope,  now  we  must 
most  surely  die.  It  is  true  we  must  abandon  all  hope 
in  ''  self  ;^^  we  must  feel  ourselves  impotent,  like  Samson, 
shorn  of  his  locks,  but  we  can  utter  a  cry,  be  it  never  so 
subdued ;  let  us  utter  it  and  leave  the  rest  to  God. 

The  heart  is  here  represented  to  us  as  being  overwhelmed, 
or,  as  it  is  otherwise  translanted,  '^  covered  over  ;'^  it  is 
smothered  in,  unable  to  perform  its  functions  with  proper 
action,  unable  to  throw  out  the  blood  to  the  extremities, 
to  give  them  needed  vitality,  and  power  for  necessary 
effort.  When  the  action  of  the  heart  is  paralyzed,  even 
temporally,  it  will  tell  upon  all  the  members,  a  chill  there 
sends  its  cold  vibration  through  every  limb ;  Satan  knows 
this  well,  and  so  all  his  dealings  are  heart  dealings, 
efforts  to  paralyze  the  very  spring  of  life  itself.  This 
is  precisely  what  we  ourselves  have  experienced,  we 
have  partially  felt   death    within    us,  we   have    felt  a 


PRAYER.  205 

gradual  numbing  of  our  lieart_,  a  gradual  diminution  in 
the  quickness  of  its  beat,  a  gradual  closing  in,  and 
pressure  of  a  weight  upon  it,  and  this  was  the  over- 
whelming process. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  overwhelmings,  and  it 
will  be  worth  our  while  reverentially  to  consider  them 
for  a  moment.  They  were  unlike  ours,  inasmuch  as  they 
could  not  in  any  wise  impair  the  vitality  of  His  heart ; 
but  they  were  like  ours,  inasmuch  as  they  were  able  to 
inflict  upon  Him  oppression  and  pain.  Jesus^  heart 
was  unquestionably  overwhelmed  in  Gethsemane,  and 
still  more  so  upon  Calvary ;  there  the  heavy  waters  came 
in  upon  His  soul,  but  we  know  that  His  vitality.  His 
power  of  action,  was  in  nowise  impaired ;  in  Gethsemane 
He  says,  ^'^the  cup  that  My  Father  hath  given  Me, 
shall  I  not  drink  it?^^  and  on  Calvary,  on  the  cross, 
He  is  stronger  in  action  than  ever  He  was  elsewhere. 
He  laid  down  His  life,  no  man  took  it  from  Him, 
He  laid  it  down  of  Himself;  He  had  to  die  as  a 
deliberate  act."^ 

We  must  die  whether  we  will  or  not ;  He  had  to  will 
to  die :  and  He  did  so  will,  and  He  carried  out  that  will, 
by  formally  giving  up  His  life ;  and  so  in  the  hour  when 
He  was  most  overwhelmed,  He  put  forth  the  greatest 
power  of  action,  and  proved  that  no  crushing,  no  over- 
whelming, could  touch  for  a  moment  the  vitality  which 
dwelt  in  Him.  Does  not  this  speak  to  us,  and  say,  ''  If 
Jesus  was  so  powerful  on  behalf  of  His  people,  in  the  dark 

*  Matthew  xxvii,  50.  Ai^jjxg  to  crvsy.aa,  "He  gave  up  the 
ghost,"  rather,  "  He  dismissed  His  Spirit."  He  acted  as  the 
priest.  He  was  not  only  passive  as  the  sacrifice,  but  active  in 
cutting  short  His  life.    None  took  it  from  Him. 

T 


206  PRAYER. 

hour  when  His  heart  was  overwhelmed^  what  must  He 
now  be^  when  this  pressure  is  removed^  and  His  heart 
beats  freely  in  love  to  them,  at  the  right  hand  of  His 
Father's  throne?'' 

It  was  necessary  that  Jesus  should  take  experience  of 
overwhelmings  of  heart,  as  well  as  of  the  other  tempta- 
tions and  trials,  to  which  poor  human  nature  is  subject; 
''  He  was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are/'  and  this 
must  not  be  excluded.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  moment  to 
us,  that  we  should  be  enabled  to  see  that  Jesus  endured 
overwhelmings ;  for  if  we  are  sustained  in  other  trials  by 
thinking  that  He  had  experience  of  them,  how  shall  we 
be  sustained  in  this,  except  in  the  same  way. 

Let  us  now  look  at  some  of  the  overwhelmings  which 
come  in  upon  the  believer's  soul,  in  which  his  only  re- 
source is  prayer. 

There  are  times  when  the  poor  heart  is  completely 
overwhelmed,  by  visions  of  sin.  The  memory  with  all 
its  powers,  awakes  and  reproduces,  with  terrible  distinct- 
ness, the  sounds  and  sights  of,  as  we  thought,  bygone 
days.  The  remembrance  of  these  things  is  grievous  to 
us,  the  burden  is  intolerable;  we  shrink  within  our- 
selves ;  we  wince  at  the  fearful  visions  which  come  before 
our  minds.  We  had  no  such  fearful  visions  when  we 
were  committing  sin,  sin  is  sweet  at  the  moment ;  its 
bitterness  is  in  its  dregs,  its  memories,  its  judgment. 
And  now,  in  the  believer's  case,  the  remembrance  of  sin 
is  made  ten-fold  worse,  from  the  knowledge  which  he 
has  acquired  of  the  holiness  of  God ;  and  the  vision  of 
sin  comes  upon  him  with  that  extra  power.  Perhaps 
since   last  he   had  such  a  vision,  he  has  increased  in 


PRAYER.  207 

knowledge  of  God's  holiness  and  character :  and  thus 
his  sin  becomes  subjected  to  a  stricter  test  than  any  by 
which  it  had  ever  been  tried  before^  and  so,  deeper 
overwhelmings  are  his  portion  now.  Such  visions  of  sin 
are  able  with  great  ease,  to  gain  the  mastery  over  any 
spiritual  powers,  which  the  believer  may  possess;  they 
can  soon  drown  him,  there  is  no  use  in  his  attempting  to 
buffet  them,  they  will  dash  him  to  and  fro,  they  will 
numb  his  vitality,  they  will  break  his  limbs  in  pieces ; 
Prayer  is  the  Christian's  only  resource  under  these  cir- 
cumstances— the  prayer  which  we  find  here — that  he 
may  be  led  to  the  rock  that  is  higher  than  he. 

It  may  be,  that  these  visions  of  sin  are  not  the  heavy 
waters  in  which  he  is  cast;  doubts  of  Divine  love  are, 
perhaps,  his  trouble.  Not  doubts  of  God's  love  generally, 
but  of  that  love  as  beaming  upon  himself  personally. 
Hiding  of  the  Father's  face  is  bitterness  to  the  soul; 
and  when  doubts  come  in  upon  the  soul,  which  hide  out 
the  sense  of  God's  love,  the  overwhelming  waters  might 
be  said  to  have  begun  to  break  over  our  heads.  Such 
doult3  have  come  terribly  upon  many  who  are  plainly 
marked  people  of  God;  they  have  rolled  in  one  after 
another  upon  the  heart,  until  at  length  they  have 
brought  with  them  actual  despair ;  and  all  that  the  poor 
tempest-tossed  believer  could  do,  was  just  to  utter  such 
words  as  we  have  here,  "Lead  me  to  the  rock  that  is 
higher  than  I." 

A  remarkable  instance  of  a  soul  under  this  trouble 
came  under  the  author's  observation  some  years  ago.  A 
Christian  man,  who  had  served  God  for  a  lifetime,  was 
seized  with  consumption.  The  repeated  visits  of  the 
attending  minister  seemed  to  afford  no  consolation,  and. 


203  PRAYER. 

in  truth_,  all  the  ordinary  means  of  comforting  were  tried 
in  vain.  Thus  matters  went  on  for  a  long  time,  and  at 
length  the  invalid  went  abroad  for  the  winter.  At  the 
end  of  the  winter,  he  returned,  and  the  minister  having 
heard  that  he  continued  in  the  same  state  of  mind  as 
before,  held  back  from  visiting  him.  The  invalid,  how- 
ever, desired  to  partake  of  the  Holy  Communion,  and 
so  his  pastor  went  to  him.  It  was  a  very  painful  scene ; 
the  agitation  of  this  poor  afflicted  Christian  was  such, 
that  all  present  were  greatly  distressed.  For  many 
weeks  did  he  linger,  the  minister  now  visiting  him 
regularly  as  before,  but  the  same  distressing  doubts  con- 
tinued; and  to  all  human  appearance,  they  were  likely 
to  shroud  him,  even  in  his  departure.  The  mercy  of 
God,  however,  at  length  dispelled  the  gloom.  One 
night  the  sick  man  asked  for  his  dressing  things,  and 
washed  and  shaved  himself;  then  he  asked  for  a  clean 
shirt,  and  when  he  put  it  on,  and  was  set  up  in  the  bed, 
he  said,  "Now  I  am  dressed  for  my  last  journey;"  thus 
he  remained  for  a  couple  of  hours,  when  lo  !  all  clouds 
and  mists  rolled  from  before  his  eyes ;  the  light  of 
heaven  shone  in  upon  him,  a  ray  of  brightness  streamed 
through  the  golden  gates  upon  his  soul,  and  he  departed 
full  of  joy. 

After  the  death  of  this  worthy  man,  the  author  visited 
his  widow,  and  found  from  her  that  one  of  the  strongest 
characteristics  of  her  departed  husband^s  mind  was  the 
doubting  of  the  love  of  others  to  him.  Satan  ever  on 
the  watch,  to  use  our  own  peculiarities  of  character 
against  ourselves ;  and  ever  skilful  in  working  with  the 
tools  which  he  finds  ready  to  his  hand ;  gave  this 
Christian  man  months,  and  even  two  years  of  grief  in 


PRAYER.  209 

this  very  way.  We  often  supply  ourselves,  the  waters 
for  our  own  overwhelming. 

Our  very  sense  of  weakness  has,  at  times,  proved  an 
overwhelming  billow.  Thrown  in  upon  ourselves,  we 
have  been  fiercely  agitated  with  thoughts  as  to  what 
would  become  of  us  at  last ;  and  Satan  pressed  us  hard ; 
he  exercised  his  pressure  upon  our  very  weakest  points ; 
and  in  a  short  time  we  felt  ourselves  amid  the  waters, 
with  no  possibility  of  escape,  unless  by  the  interference 
of  One  far  stronger  than  ourselves. 

These  will  serve  as  specimens  of  the  overwhelmings 
which  come  over  the  people  of  the  Lord ;  but  they  are 
only  specimens;  Satan's  waves  and  billows  are  as  many 
as  those  which  break  upon  the  shore,  or  toss  and  swell  in 
the  open  sea.  He  has  the  means  of  overwhelming  every 
heart,  and  when  he  makes  the  attempt,  our  only  refuge 
is  in  prayer.  Very  possibly  some  of  our  readers  may  not 
be  often  subjected  to  such  fierce  temptations  as  these ; 
but  they  may  rest  assured,  that  Satan  will  not  allow  any 
soul  to  gain  the  haven  of  everlasting  rest,  without  having 
first  tried  upon  it  his  overwhelming  powers. 

Let  us  turn  for  a  moment  or  two,  to  the  overwhelming 
troubles  which  come  in  upon  the  poor  heart,  in  things 
pertaining,  it  is  true,  only  to  this  life,  but  still  of  great 
importance  to  us  while  we  are  here.  Overwhelmings  of 
heart  are  often  the  lot  of  man,  as  he  performs  the  voyage 
of  life.  This  man  is  overwhelmed  by  the  treachery  of  a 
friend,  whose  iniquity  has  ruined  him  ;  and  this  woman 
is  overwhelmed  by  the  conduct  of  the  child  she  reared, 
amid  many  watchings,  and  many  tears ;  look  on  this  side, 
and  you  will  see  one,  who  has  his  heart  overwhelmed  by 

T  2 


210  PRAYER. 

the  loss  of  tlie  one  he  held  most  dear;  he  is  choking  under 
the  deep  waters  of  bitterest  sorrow,  and  they  are  howling 
and  dashing  over  his  devoted  head;  look  but  a  little 
distance  off,  and  there  is  another_,  who  to  all  appearance 
must  drown_,  suffocating  under  the  prospect  of  trial  which 
must  surely  come;  (and  which  is  perhaps  worse  in  the 
anticipation,,  than  in  the  event.)  Let  us  not  make  light 
of  any  of  these  things ;  they  are  overwhelmings,  and  in 
the  case  of  men  unhelped  of  God,  they  have  proved 
themselves  so,  by  taking  away  even  life  itself.  Oh !  be 
advised,  dear  readers,  never  to  face  these  billows  alone ; 
you  have  no  strength  in  yourselves  for  bearing  up,  amid 
the  deep  waters  of  grief;  when  first  they  begin  to  break 
in  upon  you,  ask  to  be  led  to  the  rock  that  is  higher 
than  you. 

Would  that  we  could  persuade  the  Lord's  people  who 
read  these  lines,  to  believe  that  the  overwhelmings  which 
have  reference  to  this  life,  are  to  be  brought  before  God, 
just  as  much  as  those  which  appertain  to  another.  Would 
that  we  could  dissuade  them  from  the  attempt  to  buffet 
the  waves  by  themselves,  for  this  buffeting  must  end  in 
their  being  sorely  hurt ;  the  longer  we  buffet  by  ourselves, 
the  deeper  shall  we  find  the  water  becoming,  the  stronger 
the  billows,  the  fiercer  their  crest,  and  the  more  impetuous 
their  rush ;  yes,  and  the  weaker  also  our  strength.  O 
child  of  God,  when  first  the  waters  begin  to  rise,  seek 
refuge  in  prayer  ?  and  if  thou  must  be  tried  in  the  heavy 
surges  of  temptation  or  of  sorrow,  prepare  for  them  upon 
thy  knees ;  as  the  camel  kneels  to  receive  its  load,  so 
kneel  thou  to  receive  thine,  say,  "  when  my  heart  is  over- 
whelmed, lead  me  to  the  rock  that  is  higher  than  I !" 

Such,   then,   are  overwhelmings   of    heart,   some   of 


PRAYER.  211 

which  are  peculiar  to  the  believer,  others  of  which  he 
shares  in  common  with  his  fellow  men. 

We  now  come  to  the  hearVs  cry  and  desire  under  these 
circumstances. 

We  trace  here  several  points  of  considerable  im- 
portance. There  is,  first  of  all,  a  recognition  of  a  place 
of  safety ;  then  we  have  this  place  brought  before  us,  as 
abundantly  sufficient,  when  personal  weakness  has  been 
realized ;  we  observe  further,  that  this  place  cannot 
be  attained,  without  the  helping  of  another's  hand ;  and 
lastly  we  have  the  character  of  this  refuge,  and  the  posi- 
tion of  a  believer,  when  availing  himself  of  it ;  the  place 
of  refuge  is  "  a  rock,^^  and  the  position  of  the  believer  is 
''^upon  a  rock.^^ 

The  bare  recognition  of  a  place  of  safety  is,  in  itself,  a 
matter  of  great  importance.  To  know  that  there  is  a 
refuge,  that  we  need  not  perish,  is  cheering  to  the  heart ; 
nothing  so  daunts  the  spirit,  and  numbs  every  energy 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  put  forth,  as  the  feeling 
of  despair,  that,  "  it  is  all  no  use,^^  that  we  cannot  escape. 
If  only  we  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  place  of  safety, 
and  that  it  is  possible  for  us  to  reach  it,  we  shall  feel  our 
spirits  revive ;  hope  will  enter  into,  and  vivify  the  heart ; 
and  even  though  desperate  struggles  must  be  made,  still 
the  heart  will  rise  to  the  emergency,  and  success  shall 
crown  its  efforts,  and  its  prayers. 

That,  however,  with  which  we  now  have  to  do,  is  not 
so  much  personal  effort,  as  prayer  made  with  the  recog- 
nition of  a  place  of  safety.  It  may  be  that  we  feel  we 
cannot  by  any  struggling  of  ours,  attain  that  place  of 
safety;    that  it  may  be  like  a  rock  seen  by  the  drowning 


212  PRAYER. 

man^  but  at  too  great  a  distance  to  be  reached  by  his 
faihng  strength  ;  if  the  recognition  of  it  give  us  strength 
to  cry,  that  will  be  of  incalculable  worth. 

The  Psalmist  saw  the  rock ;  oh !  may  you_,  dear  reader, 
ever  see  safe  standing  ground,  in  the  worst  trial  times, 
May  Satan  never  be  able  to  say  to  you,  "  you  are  hope- 
less as  well  as  helpless ;  there  is  no  way  of  escape  for 
you.^^  Ever  let  us  recognise  the  place  of  safety ;  let  us 
say  "it  exists;  I  know  where  it  is;  my  belief  in  that  point 
cannot  be  shaken.^^  It  is  true  this  is  no  very  high  putting 
forth  of  Christian  grace,  (and  yet  in  overwhelming  cir- 
cumstances, it  is  perhaps  higher  than  some  suppose) 
but  though  not  a  high,  it  is  a  most  useful,  and  important 
one;  many  a  tempest-tossed  believer  has  effectively 
made  his  escape,  by  prayer  which  was  put  up  under  the 
consciousness  of  this  fact.  Should  the  overwhelming  be 
so  terrible,  as  to  make  the  tried  and  tempted  man  say, 
"  I  doubt  whether  Christ  will  save  me,"  oh  !  may  it 
never  pass  that  boundary,  and  make  him  say,  "  I  doubt 
whether  Christ  can  save  me." 

In  the  passage  which  we  are  now  considering,  we  have 
the  place  of  safety  brought  before  us,  as  abundantly 
sufficient,  when  personal  weakness  has  been  realized. 
Personal  weakness  had  been  realized,  for  the  heart  had 
been  overwhelmed;  now  that  which  alone  could  avail 
under  the  present  sad  circumstances,  is  realized  also,  viz., 
the  high  Rock,  "  Lead  me  to  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than 
I."  The  solidity  of  the  Rock  is  brought  into  contrast 
with  the  weakness  of  the  believer  tossed  to  and  fro ;  it 
stands  unmoved  amid  the  waves,  while  he  is  beaten  about 
amidst  them,  almost  at  their  will.     There  is  no  more  apt 


PaAYER.  213 

image  of  the  position  which  the  Lord  Jesus  occupies 
towards  His  people,  in  the  terrible  hours  of  overwhelming 
temptation_,  than  this  of  "  the  Eock/^  The  Rock  stands 
immoveable  amid  the  boiling  waters_,  which  at  times 
sweep  against  it  with  heavy  and  unbroken  billows^,  as 
though  they  would  push  it  from  its  base^  and  at  times 
leap  towards  it  with  seething  foam^  as  though  they  would 
tear  it  into  pieces^  and  in  their  rage  sweep  in  its  fragments 
upon  the  shore^  to  add  to  the  water- worn  shingle  there ; 
now  with  a  deep-toned  boom,  like  the  shot  of  a  heavy 
gun,  one  mighty  broad-backed  billow  discharges  against 
it  all  its  might ;  and  now,  jostling  and  crowding,  a  mul- 
titude follow  quiokly  in  its  path,  as  though  they  would 
fling  themselves  into  the  breach  which  this  artillery  had 
made;  the  shriek  of  the  winds  is  heard  in  horrid 
distinctness,  as  they  madden  the  billows,  and  lash  them 
onward,  with  fresh  paroxysms  of  rage ;  but  motionless 
amid  both  winds  and  waves,  without  the  loss  of  even  the 
smallest  fragment,  stands  the  Rock,  silent,  majestic,  and 
unmoved,  the  same  in  storm,  as  in  calm.  Such  is  "  the 
Rock,^^  and  such  is  Jesus  ;  and  such  He  has  appeared  to 
His  people,  ofttimes  battered,  and  almost  smothered, 
amid  such  waves  as  these.  And  it  is  very  important  to 
God^s  people  to  remember,  that  this  Rock  is  always  to 
be  found  amid  these  heaving  billows,  these  boiling  surges 
of  the  devil ;  let  them  rage  their  very  worst,  there  He 
is,  and  there,  for  His  people's  sake,  He  ever  must  be 
found. 

But  not  only  is  the  Rock  recognised,  but  also  its 
height — this  is  no  sunken  rock,  whose  sharp  and  jagged 
edges,  submerged  beneath  the  waters,  amid  which  the 
believer  is  being  tossed,  must  have  added  fearfully  to  his 


214  PRAYER. 

distress_,  lacerating,  and  bruising  him,  and  conspiring 
with  the  waves  to  take  away  his  life.  No,  this  is  a  Rock 
higher  than  himself,  on  which  he  can  stand,  whose 
foundation,  and  whose  height,  are  equally  beyond  the 
reach  of  any  power,  which  the  enemy  can  put  forth. 
This  is  the  recognition  of  the  Psalmist  here ;  he  calls  it 
"  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  I.^^ 

There  is  great  instruction  in  these  last  few  words. 
Self  has  been  seen  in  all  its  weakness;  it  is  now  proved 
that  it  can  do  nothing ;  safety  must  be  out  of  self,  it 
must  be  in  something  higher  than  self,  it  must  be  in 
Christ.  And  Jesus  is  abundantly  sufficient  for  us ;  let 
us  but  see  this,  and  laying  self  aside  altogether,  seek  to 
stand  on  Him,  and  aU  wiU  be  surely  well  with  us.  We 
waste  much  strength,  we  incur  much  peril,  in  trying  to 
keep  our  own  heads  above  water ;  this  is  a  vain  attempt ; 
the  billows  are  much  higher,  and  the  waves  are  much 
stronger  than  we  are ;  we  are  not  constructed  to  fight 
these  spiritual  billows  by  ourselves,  any  more  than  the 
body  is,  to  contend  with  the  sweeping  billows  of  the 
seas.  To  buffet  the  waters  was  not  the  intent  for  which 
the  body  was  made ;  to  buffet  the  temptations  of  the 
Devil  was  not  the  purpose  for  which  the  soul  was  created ; 
this  has  come  no  doubt  to  be  its  lot,  but  it  is  not  fur- 
nished with  any  powers  by  which  it  can  do  it  in  itself; 
that  on  which  we  stand  must  be  something  higher  than 
ourselves,  if  we  are  to  stand  at  all. 

In  times,  then,  of  fierce  overwhelmings,  let  us  look  at 
once  for  the  high  Rock ;  let  us  seek  for  nothing  from 
self,  let  us  just  cry  to  have  our  feet  set  on  Christ ;  then 
we  shall  feel  that  we  have  firm  ground  under  us ;  then 
we  shaU  see  the  waves  toss  themselves,  and  we  shall 


PRAYER.  215 

hear  them  roar ;  then  we  shall  look  at  them  as  they 
curl  upwards^  and  at  last  sink  down  exhausted^  spent  by 
their  own  fierce  throes ;  and  we  shall  rejoice  that  all  we 
have  to  do,  is  simply  to  stand  on  Christ,  to  be  in  union 
with  Him,  while  He  bears  the  storm's  brunt,  and  at 
once  defies  and  defeats  its  utmost  rage.  Stand,  beloved 
Christian  upon  the  Rock;  if  you  ask,  but  what  shall  I 
do?  I  answer,  ^'only  make  sure  that  you  are  there;'' 
feel  the  Rock  under  you ;  then,  as  when  a  tempest-tossed 
mariner  has  reached  a  rock,  the  contest  is  no  longer 
between  the  waves  and  him,  but  between  the  waves  and 
the  rock ;  so  when  you  are  on  Christ,  the  contest  will 
not  be  between  you  and  Satan,  but  between  Christ  and 
Him.  Unless  Satan  can  vanquish  Christ,  the  Christian 
must  be  safe. 

There  remains  one  further  particular  to  be  looked  at, 
and  i,  e.,  the  fact  that  this  place  cannot  he  realized 
without  the  helping  of  another's  hand.  The  Psalmist 
here  desires  to  be  led  to  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  he 
was.  In  Psalms  xxvii  and  xlii  we  find  him  recognising 
the  Lord,  as  the  One  who  not  only  provided  the  shelter, 
but  also  who  enabled  him  to  reach  it.  "  He  shall  set  me 
up  upon  a  rock."  "  He  brought  me  up  also  out  of  an 
horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  my  feet  upon 
a  rock,  and  established  my  goings.'' 

This  helping  hand  of  God  we  have  brought  before  us 
in  Psalm  xviii ;  here  we  meet  with  the  floods  and  deep 
waters ;  "  the  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and  the 
floods  of  ungodly  men  made  me  afraid,  the  sorrows  of 
hell  compassed  me  about,  the  snares  of  death  prevented 
me ;"  there  were  terrible  dealings  of  God  also,  for  ^^  the 


216  PRAYER. 

channels  of  waters  were  seen  and  the  foundations  of  the 
world  were  discovered  at  Thy  rebuke,  O  Lord,  at  the 
blast  of  the  breath  of  Thy  nostrils'/'  then  what  hap- 
pened ?  "  He  sent  from  above,  He  took  me,  He  drew  me 
out  of  many  waters/' 

If  we  would  find  ourselves  upon  the  Eock,  and  enjoy 
the  realization  of  being  so,  we  must  be  dependent  upon 
another's  hand.  And  that  hand  can  do  everything  for 
us,  even  in  our  worst  of  times.  When  we  are  so  blinded 
by  the  salt  waves  that  dash  into  our  eyes,  so  reeling  in 
brain  that  we  cannot  perhaps  think,  much  less  make 
continuous  efibrts,  there  is  a  hand  which  can  lead  us, 
which  can  draw  us  out  of  the  waters,  which  can  set  our 
feet  upon  the  Rock.  Surely  we  have  already  experienced 
the  power  and  tenderness  of  that  hand ;  and  it  may  be 
that  in  the  reader's  case,  the  waves,  as  they  made  sure 
of  their  prey,  found  it  supernaturally  drawn  forth  from 
them,  that  it  might  be  set  upon  a  Rock,  immoveable 
amid  all  waters,  and  sufficient  amid  all  storms  ! 


217 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  *'I  WILL"  OE  PRATEE  IK  TEOUBLE. 
{Concluded.) 

Psalm  cxxi,  1.  "  I  willlift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from 
whence  cometh  my  help" 

THERE  is  one  resource,,  of  which  no  tyranny  of  man, 
no  complication  of  circumstances,  can  deprive  the 
Christian  ;  i.  e.y  Prayer. 

The  limbs  may  be  chained,  so  that  neither  hand  nor 
foot  can  be  stirred  in  self-defence;  the  view  of  the 
natural  heavens  may  be  shut  out,  by  the  dark  dungeon^s 
arching  waU ;  yea,  the  very  eye- sight  may  be  extinguished, 
so  that  the  dull  and  heavy  balls  will  reflect  no  objects 
in  the  heavens  above,  or  in  the  earth  beneath ;  still  the 
man  of  God  can  come  into  the  posture  of  prayer  in  his 
soul,  can  lift  up  his  eyes  to  the  heaven  of  heavens,  can 
worship,  can  supplicate,  in  a  word,  can  pray. 

Blessed  be  God  that  this  is  so ;  for  the  body  is  often- 
times so  circumstanced  that  it  cannot  use  hand,  or  knee, 
or  eye  in  prayer. 

This  chapter  concludes  the  portion  of  our  subject 
which  has  reference  to  Prayer  in  Trouble ;  and  in  the 


218  TRAYER. 

passage  which  it  is  designed  to  illustrate,  we  have  these 
thoughts  prominently  brought  before  us  : 

I.     The  elevation  of  the  Christian  above  surrounding 
circumstances. 

II.     The  power  of  spiritual  sight  in  prayer. 

III.     The  definite  point  on  ivhich  the  eye  is  fixed. 

The  Psalmist  says,  "  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the 
hills;"  his  own  position,  then,  appears  to  be  in  the 
valleys  in  the  low  ground ;  and  it  does  not  appear 
that  he  can  extricate  himself  from  them;  all  that  he 
can  do,  under  present  circumstances,  is  to  look  unto 
the  hills. 

Many  of  the  Lord's  people  are  obliged  to  walk,  for  a 
long  and  weary  while,  in  the  valleys ;  they  have  to  go 
from  one  valley  to  another ;  and  the  atmosphere  of  these 
valleys  is  very  damp  and  chilling  to  the  soul.  In  some 
dark  places  the  deadly  night-shade  grows ;  from  some 
gloomy  caverns  ill-omened  creatures  hoot;  the  foot-step 
loses  its  elasticity,  the  heart  its  bound,  and  the  wonder  is, 
how  some  of  these  valleys  are  ever  passed  safely  through. 
It  is  true  that  all  valleys  are  not  so  bad  as  this ;  there  are 
some  which  are  simply  dark  and  cold,  some  which  are 
rough  and  lonely,  and  some  which  are  depressing,  because 
for  many  a  long  and  weary  mile,  they  shut  out  the  sur- 
rounding scenery,  with  all  its  variety  and  life ;  but 
whatever  the  peculiarity  of  each  valley,  it  is  able  to  act 
upon  the  man  that  travels  through  it ;  and  who  can  tell 
what  such  places  have  witnessed,  in  the  way  of  deep 
depressions  of  soul  ?  But  why  not  make  our  escape  out 
of  these  valleys  ?  Simply  because  we  cannot ;  and  because 
God  never  intended  that  we  should  be  able  to  do  so ; 
His  design  towards  us  is,  that  we  should  be  taught  to  lift 


PRAYER.  219 

up  our  eyes  unto  the  hills  ;  that  we  should  journey  through 
the  valleys,  looking  to  higher  ground  for  all  needful  help. 
What  God  often  has  in  view  for  His  children,  is  helping 
I   them  in  the  valley,  rather  than  helping  them  out  of  it. 

What  long  and  lonely  journeyings  have  been  made,  by 
many  a  widowed,  many  an  orphaned  heart ;  the  rocks 
which  shut  in  their  valley  were  high ;  a  glimmering 
light,  seldom  stronger  than  the  twilight  of  the  evening, 
was  all  they  had  to  illumine  their  weary  path ;  and  as 
day  after  day  passed  on,  and  night  after  night,  these  foot- 
sore travellers  said,  "  Lord,  how  long  ?" 

What  long  and  stony  journeyings  have  been  performed 
by  poverty-stricken  men  and  women,  who  often  tried  to 
scale  the  precipice  sides  of  the  barren  valley  through 
which  they  travelled,  but  they  could  not ;  and  faint  and 
cowed,  their  very  heart  withering  within  them,  they 
struggled  forward  another  day's  journey,  without  any 
motive  or  any  aim. 

What  dark  and  dismal  j  ourneyings  have  some  Christian  s 
performed,  in  valleys  where  they  seemed  to  be  especially 
exposed  to  Satanic  temptation,  where  the  Evil  One  could 
cause  horrid,  slimy  temptations  to  cross  their  path ; 
where  poisonous  food  seemed  all  that  there  was  to  eat; 
where  unearthly  sounds  whispered,  and  hooted,  and  rever- 
berated, and  echoed,  and  re-echoed  again ;  until  the  poor 
wayfarer  seemed  almost  driven  out  of  his  senses,  as  though 
but  yet  a  little  more,  and  he  must  go  mad.  Oh  !  this  is 
a  dreadful  valley,  it  is  one  not  travelled  by  all  believers, 
but  it  is  one  only  too  well  known  to  others.  What  is 
there,  which  the  poor  believer  has  not  heard  in  this 
terrible  place  ?  He  shudders !  he  hears  a  whisper,  it 
says,  '^  There  is  no  God  at  all." — He  shivers  with  cold ! 


220  PRAYER. 

he  has  put  his  foot  upon  some  icy,  slimy  things^  and  there 
runs  through  his  soul  a  chill  shiver  of  terror ;  a  thought 
has  been  infused  into  his  heart  that  if  there  be  a 
God  He  does  not  care  for  him.  What  wild  and  un- 
earthly hoot  is  that  which  now  startles  him  afresh  ?  It 
is  an  evil  spirit,  hooting  out  that  all  Christians  are  fools : 
and  that  the  wayfarer's  Christianity  has  brought  him 
into  this  valley ;  and  that  he  is  a  fool  for  having  come 
into  it,  for  that  his  old  neighbours  and  friends,  who 
troubled  not  themselves  about  these  things,  are  in  the 
sunshine,  and  well  off  enough.  A  hissing  sound  from 
some  reptile  now  vibrates  upon  his  ear  ;  ah,  who  can  tell 
what  that  serpent  would  have  done,  had  not  some  unseen 
influence  made  it  glide  harmlessly  away  ?  Perhaps  that 
was  some  evil,  which  no  one  in  human  flesh  could  have 
resisted,  and  which  the  Lord  in  mercy,  dealt  with  Him- 
self. Now  the  Christian  hears  a  whisper,  "  make  away 
with  yourself;"  now  he  hears  sounds  which  have  no 
meaning,  but  which  confuse  him,  (and  that  is  their 
design.)  Thus  it  is  with  some  poor  souls ;  oh  !  wonder 
of  grace,  and  superhuman  power,  and  love,  that  they  ever 
reach  heaven  at  all. 

Dear  reader,  to  you,  if  unexercised  in  such  dark  valleys 
as  this,  all  that  has  now  been  said,  may  seem  an  over- 
charged account  of  temptations,  which  are  common  to 
all.  This  is  not  so ;  all  men  are  not  tempted  to  infidelity, 
to  suicide,  to  despair,  and  to  such  like  things ;  there  are 
dark  valleys,  the  inside  of  which  some  men  never  see ; 
why  one  should  see  them,  and  not  another,  must  be  left 
with  God ;  we  cannot  explain  how  this  comes  to  pass, 
but  into  this  very  valley,  of  which  I  have  been  speaking 
now,  some  of  the  very  holiest  of  God^s  people  have  been 


PRAYER.  221 

cast ;  and  in  it,  tliey  "have  performed  no  inconsiderable 
part  of  their  journey,  towards  their  present  rest. 

The  point,  however,  to  which  our  attention  is  to  be 
especially  directed,  is.  Elevation  above  surrounding 
circumstances  f  and  that  elevation,  in  prayer.  The  Psalmist 
says,  "\  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from 
whence  cometh  my  help." 

The  hills  towered  above  the  valleys ;  and  all  that  the 
Psalmist  could  do,  was  to  lift  up  his  eyes  in  prayer,  to  a 
height  far  above  the  place  in  which  he  was.  In  our 
times  of  distress,  our  valley  journeyings,  whether  the 
valley  be  simply  a  lonely  one,  or  one  of  stony  poverty, 
or  one  of  darkness,  and  terrible  distress,  let  us  look  up, 
let  us  fix  our  eyes  on  the  hills,  yea,  above  the  hills ;  let 
us  say,  *^*^my  help  cometh  from  the  Lord,  who  made 
heaven  and  earth."  Looking  at  surrounding  circum- 
stances, has  often  been  the  sore  hurt  of  the  children  of 
God ;  we  must  not  ventm'c  upon  it ;  we  must  fix  our 
ejes  on  the  face  of  God;  and  He  must  discern  prayer  in 
those  eyes,  if  we  are  to  be  safe.  Our  blessed  Redeemer 
lifted  up  His  eyes  to  heaven.  "When  He  stood  by  the 
grave  of  Lazarus,  and  the  stone  was  taken  away,  and 
He  was  about  to  enter  into  immediate  conflict  with 
death,  withdrawing  from  him  his  prey.  He  "lifted  up 
His  eyes,  and  said.  Father,  I  thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast 
heard  me.  And  I  knew  that  Thou  hearest  me  always : 
but  because  of  the  people  which  stand  by  I  said  it,  that 
they  may  believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  me.  And  when 
He  thus  had  spoken.  He  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus, 
come  forth."  John  xi,  43.  And  when  the  Saviour  was 
about  to  pass  over  the  brook   Cedron,    and   enter   the 

u  2 


222  PRAYER. 

horrors  of  Gethsemane,  He  looked  up  above  all  surround- 
ing gloom,  and  beheld  the  face  of  His  Father,  on  behalf 
of  His  disciples,  yea,  and  also  of  Himself.  '^  These 
words  spake  Jesus,  and  lifted  up  His  eyes  to  heaven,  and 
said.  Father,  the  hour  is  come ;  glorify  Thy  Son,  that 
Thy  Son  also  may  glorify  Thee."     John  xvii,  1. 

In  our  trial  time  we  must  lift  up  our  eyes — we  must 
not  try  and  pierce  the  far  distance ;  we  must  not  speculate, 
and  derive  our  comfort  from  thoughts  that  matters  may 
turn  out  in  this  way  or  that  way ;  we  must  look  above 
the  valley  with  its  gloom,  away  from  its  windings,  from 
the  fissures  in  its  rocks,  from  places  which  seem  likely 
to  afford  an  outlet,  above  all,  away  from  all,  to  God. 

We  have  no  natural  faculties  for  piercing  the  future  of 
our  troubles ;  experience  shews  us  at  times  that  all  our 
speculations,  all  our  calculations  are  not  to  be  depended 
on,  and  that  which  we  thought  likely  to  prove  our  outlet 
from  the  valley,  has,  in  point  of  fact,  but  more  straitly 
shut  up  our  path.  So  long  as  we  endeavour  to  relieve 
ourselves,  by  efforts  of  human  reason,  or  vision,  so  long 
must  we  remain  perplexed,  and  anxious :  the  lifting  of 
the  eye  is,  in  point  of  fact,  our  only  true  resource. 

And  how  are  we  to  lift  up  the  eye,  if  it  be  not  in 
prayer? — Prayer,  in  which  God  is  distinctly  seen,  in 
which  His  willingness  to  help  is  abundantly  realised, 
and  acknowledged ;  one  moment's  upturning  of  the  eye 
in  this  way  is  of  more  practical  value  than  the  most 
earnest  gaze  into  the  future.  Let  us  look  up  from  the 
valley  to  God,  and  He  will  look  down  into  the  valley  on 
us,  and  lead  us  through  all  its  windings,  all  its  gloom,  to 
the  point  which  He  can  see  from  His  lofty  throne,  as  the 
only  one  through  which  we  can  make  our  escape. 


PRAYER.  223 

Elevation,  then,  above  surrounding  circumstances  is 
imperatively  called  for,  from  the  child  of  God,  when 
journeying  in  the  valley;  at  such  a  season  he  is  to  "lift 
up  his  eyes." 

And  this  leads  us  to  consider  the  Power  of 
Spii'itual  Sight  in  prayer.  Spiritual  sight  is  a  reality, 
just  as  much  as  the  sight  of  the  eye ;  and  in  proportion 
to  the  keenness  of  that  sight  will  very  often  depend  a 
man^s  power  in  prayer. 

This  sight  varies  in  the  people  of  God,  just  as  natural 
sight  varies  in  power  and  clearness  amongst  men.  There 
are  some  who  can  see  only  the  dim  outlines  of  things ; 
some  who  can  plainly  discern  the  form,  but  not  the 
colour  of  the  object  in  view ;  and  others  who,  though 
they  can  see  both  form  and  colour,  cannot  perceive  the 
details,  upon  the  comprehension  of  which  depends 
admiration  of  the  object^ s  beauty,  or  appreciation  of  its 
worth.  Even  thus  it  is  with  the  children  of  God ;  some 
are  dim- sighted,  and  an  indistinct  outline  of  God  upon 
His  throne,  and  of  His  faithfulness,  and  love,  and  power, 
is  all  they  see ;  others  can  clearly  perceive  all  these,  but 
they  see  them  as  it  were  merely  in  the  abstract,  colourless, 
without  the  warmth  and  glow  imparted  to  them  by 
personal  realization ;  and  there  are  others  yet  again,  who 
must  have  their  eyes  further  opened  of  the  Spirit,  ere 
they  can  realize  in  God  those  details  of  excellence  in 
which  His  glory  and  beauty  are  most  plainly  seen. 

Let  none,  however,  who  read  these  lines  be  discouraged, 
because  they  feel  that  in  their  case  all  that  they  have 
attained  to  is  a  perception  of  the  outline  of  God.  All, 
perhaps,  that  such  can  do  is  to  look  np  unto  the  hills,  to 
try  and  see,  rather  than   really   to   see   God   in   their 


224  PRAYER. 

troublous  time.  It  is  no  doubt  hard  work  to  pray- 
under  such  circumstances  as  these — to  believe  that  the 
One  we  cannot  plainly  discern  can  and  will  help  us  out 
of  the  valley  in  which  we  go  heavily,  and  in  which  we 
are  almost  afraid  that  we  shall  die ;  but  God  is  on  high, 
however  small  may  be  our  power  of  realizing  Him,  and 
if  we  lift  up  our  eyes  and  He  sees  that  we  would  fain 
look  imploringly  and  trustingly  rjpon  Him,  He  will 
surely  look  down  upon  us ;  He  will  not  visit  us  for  our 
blindness,  but  will  honour  our  humble  effort  to  lean  upon 
Him ;  and  the  bare  fact  of  our  having  looked  unto  Him, 
however  little  we  were  able  really  to  see  Him,  will  bring 
us  all  needful  help.  What  encouragement  is  here  for 
many  who  are  weak  both  in  faith  and  prayer !  How 
should  such  a  thought  as  this  lead  them  just  to  turn 
their  eyes  upward  in  all  their  times  of  difficulty  and 
distress  !  Satan  well  knows  how  bountiful  God  is,  and 
how  He  honours  even  the  humblest  effort  at  trusting 
Him ;  yea,  he  knows  that  just  this  upward  look  in  prayer, 
feeble  though  it  be,  will  surely  extricate  the  believer,  at 
the  last,  and  therefore  he  would  daunt  the  weak  ones  of 
the  Lord,  by  saying  to  them,  "  You  cannot  do  well 
enough  in  prayer  to  secure  an  answer."  But  do  not  per- 
mit yourself  to  be  deceived ;  it  is  not  the  measure  of 
your  power  in  prayer  that  is  in  question,  it  is  the  measure  of 
God^s  faithfulness  and  love ;  even  looking  upward  from 
the  valley's  depth  will  be  counted  by  Him  as  prayer. 

Happy,  however,  is  he  who  can  see  more  than  the  dim 
outline  of  the  One  to  whom  he  would  address  himself  in 
his  hour  of  need  ;  who  does  not  merely  stand  as  Moses  in 
the  cleft  of  the  rock,  to  see  as  it  were  the  back  parts, 
while  the  face  of  God  is  not  seen,  (Exod.  xxxiii,  22,)  but 


PRAYER.  225 

who  knows  wliat  it  is  to  have  ^'  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Clirist/^  (2  Cor. 
iv,  6 ;)  whose  outline  of  God  is  filled  in  with  the  details  of 
His  excellence,  with  attributes,  in  which  he,  as  a  praying 
man,  has  especial  interest.  When  such  an  one  lifts  up 
his  eyes  unto  the  hills,  when  he  looks  upon  God,  he  sees 
enough  in  Him  for  all  his  wants,  no  matter  how  long  the 
journey  may  prove  through  the  valley,  no  matter  how 
terrible  its  horrors,  and  no  matter  how  accumulated  his 
need.  Such  an  one  knows  the  tenderness  of  God,  and 
sees  that  He  will  not  allow  the  trusting  soul  to  faint  for 
want  of  a  needful  supply ;  he  dwells  upon  the  faithfulness 
of  God,  and  sees  that  He  will  not,  that  He  cannot  desert 
him  in  his  trial  hour ;  he  sees  Him  in  all  His  excellencies, 
all  His  glorious  attributes;  he  looks  closely  upon  Him, 
(and  he  can  do  so,  for  these  attributes  shine  upon  him 
with  a  mellowed  light,  as  existing  in,  and  beaming  from 
his  Father  in  Christ,)  and  then  he  is  assured  of  help,  he 
speaks  of  it  as  sure,  "  I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the 
hills  from  whence  cometh  my  help." 

Let  us  seek,  ever  more  and  more,  for  an  increase  of 
clearness  and  power  in  spiritual  vision ;  that  we  may  see 
the  One  who  is  exalted  above  the  hills,  caring  for  us  in 
our  travel  through  the  valleys;  that  we  may  perceive 
Him  to  be  a  God  nigh  at  hand,  and  not  a  God  afar  off; 
no  peril,  weariness,  want,  temptation,  device  of  the  Devil, 
or  positive  assault  of  his,  can  do  us  any  hurt  while  we 
are  in  the  valley,  if  only  (however  feebly)  we  lift  up  our 
eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence  cometh  our  help. 

And  here,  I  would  impress  upon  the  reader  the 
importance   of  the   words,    "I   will."     This  power  of 


226  PRAYER. 

spiritual  sight  has  to  be  exercised  by  distinct  action. 
Just  as  the  man  possessed  of  natural  sight  has  to  use  the 
muscles  of  the  eye  to  bring  it  to  bear  upon  the  object  he 
would  see,  so  the  man  possessed  of  spiritual  vision  must 
use  that  spiritual  faculty  if  he  would  see  God.  Blessing 
is  given  to  distinct  action.  Distinct  action  shews 
practically  the  wish  of  the  mind ;  and  that  the  mind  is 
willing  to  make  exertion  to  attain  to  what  it  desires,  and 
this  action  God  will  always  honour.  "  Seek  and  ye 
shall  find/^  is  as  true  in  this,  as  in  other  particulars  of 
the  spiritual  life.  Have  not  you,  dear  reader,  come  very 
short  in  this  exercise  of  distinct  action  when  you  were 
in  the  valley  ?  You  have  walked  long  and  wearily  with 
the  eye  downcast,  and  it  may  be  watering  the  ground 
with  your  tears;  the  lid  drooped,  and  it  was  Satan's 
purpose  that  it  should  ;  have  not  you  felt  yourself  scarce 
equal  to  the  exertion  of  raising  the  lid  and  turning  the 
eye  on  God?  It  answers  Satan's  purpose  well  enough 
that  you  should  be  occupied  in  looking  round,  and  taking 
care  of  yourself,  provided  that  by  so  doing,  you  are  too 
much  occupied  to  look  up ;  he  does  not  mind  how  busy 
you  are  with  yourself,  provided  you  be  not  busy  with 
God ;  be  encouraged  then  to  bethink  yourselves  of,  and 
to  exercise  distinct  action  in  spiritual  sight ;  the  very  act 
of  so  doing  will  make  you  feel  the  reality  of  your  con- 
nection with  Him,  will  enlarge  your  expectation  from 
Him ;  you  cannot  reasonably  expect  to  see,  unless  you 
lift  up  your  eyes  and  look. 

And  when  you  thus  lift  up  your  eyes,  let  there  be  a 
definite  point  on  which  your  sight  is  fixed.  Look  straight 
to  the  throne — do  not  lose  time  in  asking  where  shall  I 
find  help,  who  will  sympathize  with  and  succour  me? 


PRAYER.  227 

Let  us  look  to  God  at  once ;  we  have  a  definite  trouble, 
a  definite  enemy,  let  us  have  a  definite  resource  also  in 
our  time  of  need . 

A  word  or  two  of  caution  will  conclude  this  chapter. 

Let  us  not  try  to  manage  our  little  troubles  by  our- 
selves, lest  greater  ones  spring  out  of  them.  Little 
troubles  are  like  little  seeds,  they  are  small  enough  in 
themselves,  but  they  are  capable  of  producing  great  and 
important  results.  The  oak  is  the  produce  of  the  acorn, 
the  tangled  briar  comes  from  a  seed  on  which  no  thorn 
is  to  be  seen ;  the  Christian  who  will  manage  his  little 
troubles  by  himself,  will  soon  find  that  he  must  manage 
much  greater  ones  than  he  bargained  for  at  first. 

Let  us  not  allow  om'selves  to  be  kept  from  prayer  by 
the  great  disproportion  between  God^s  resources  and  our 
little  needs.  Satan  is  able  to  argue  at  times  apparently 
on  God^s  behalf;  he  is  all  for  God^s  honour,  if  by 
magnifying  His  honour,  he  can  keep  the  poor  sinner 
away  from  Him;  it  is  for  this  purpose,  and  for  this 
alone,  that  God^s  honour  is  ever  magnified  by  Satan. 
Let  us,  however,  see  through  this  cheat;  let  us  be 
thankftd,  instead  of  being  daunted  at  the  vastness  of 
God^s  resources,  at  the  great  disproportion  between  them 
and  our  wants.  By  this  disproportion,  we  are  all  the 
more  secured,  and  we  may  rest  assured,  that  however 
small  our  troubles  or  our  need,  a  Father^ s  love  will 
always  make  God  consider  them  as  great. 

In  all  troubles,  then,  be  persuaded,  dear  reader,  to  put 
forth  this  "  I  Will  '^  of  prayer.  If  you  can  do  no  more 
than  barely  upturn  the  eye,  then  say,  ''  I  will  ^^  do  that. 
Do  not  undertake  the  management  of  even  the  smallest 


228  PRAYER, 

trouble  by  yourself;  do  not  shrink  from  bringing  any 
trouble^  no  matter  how  small,  to  God ;  around,  all  may 
be  darkness,  perplexity,  and  doubt ;  if  you  would  dispel 
all  these,  say  with  the  Psalmist  of  old,  "  I  will  lift  up 
mine  eyes  unto  the  hills  from  whence  cometh  my 
help/' 


229 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE  ''I  WILL"  OF  CONXINTJANCE  IN  PRAYEE. 


Psalm  Iv,  17.  ^^ Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  1 
pray,  and  cry  aloud:  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice" 

JUST  as  a  scliolar  may  excel  in  some  one  brancli  of 
learning,  or  an  artizan  in  some  particular  department 
of  his  trade,  so  a  Christian  may  pre-eminently  excel  in 
some  one  spiritual  grace  or  power. 

And  further,  as  the  scholar  or  artizan  may  do  some 
one  portion  of  that,  their  special  work,  better  than 
another;  so  the  Christian  may  peculiarly  excel,  not  only 
in  some  one  grace,  but  in  some  particular  working  of 
that  grace. 

Some  Christian  men  are  great  in  one  thing,  and  some 
in  another.  Several  may  be  great  in  the  self-same  thing, 
but  in  different  departments  of  it.  Thus  is  it  with 
prayer.  One  man  may  excel  in  the  lightning  speed  and 
power  of  his  prayer  in  sudden  emergencies;  another 
may  excel  in  making  prayer  with  the  deep  and  abiding 
assurance  of  an  answer,  and  with  patient  determination 
to  wait  for  it;  while   a   third   has  peculiar  power   of 

X 


230  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

realizing  God  in  prayer ;  and  a  fourth  is  especially  able 
to  gather  in  his  thoughts,,  and  concentrate  his  mind^ 
when  he  is  thus  engaged  in  prayer. 

It  may  be  that  a  Christian  is  great  in  all  these  de- 
partments of  prayer^  and  yet  that  he  comes  short  in 
Continuance  in  Prayer ;  which  is  the  subject  I  am  about 
to  consider  now.  "  Continue  in  prayer^  and  watch  in  the 
same  with  thanksgiving,"  says  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to 
the  Colossians.  "Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon, 
will  I  pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice,'' 
says  the  Psalmist. 

The  subject,  then,  which  we  are  now  to  consider  is 
Continuance  in  Prayer. 

I.     Continuance  in  Prayer  as  "a  Habit. ^* 

II.     Continuance  in  it  ''at  any  one  time.'' 

May  grace  be  given  to  you,  dear  reader,  to  say  "  I 
WILL.''  "Evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  wiU  I 
pray^  and  cry  aloud." 

Let  us  enquire,  first  of  all,  what  this  continuance  in 
prayer  is,  looked  at  as  a  Habit. 

It  is  the  habit  of  speaking  to  God  at  all  times  and  in 
all  places;  when  there  are  immediate  occasions  for 
prayer,  and  also  when  there  are  not."^ 

Yes !  speaking  to  God  at  all  times— not  merely  saying 
a  prayer,  or  even  praying  in  the  morning  when  we  get  * 
up,   and  in  the  evening   when  we  go  to  bed;  but  at 
many  another  time  of  the  day;  or  if  we  lie  wakeful 
upon  our  beds,  at  many  a  time  in  the  night.      Those 

*  St.  Augustine's  wish  was,  that  Christ  when  He  came  might 
find  him  "  aut  precantem,  aut  praedicantem  " — either  praying  or 
preaching. 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  231 

who  thus  continue  in  prayer,  often  put  up  more  than  a 
hundred  distinct  petitions  in  the  day — it  may  be  that 
they  have  only  a  few  minutes  leisure  between  one 
occupation  and  another,  still  in  these  few  minutes  how 
much  may  be  said;  or  perhaps  their  occupation  is  a 
solitary  one,  and  then,  if  they  so  will,  they  can  talk  to 
God  nearly  all  day  long.  Prayer  may  be  made  in  one 
short  sentence,  yes,  in  one  short  word,  yes,  without  even 
a  word  at  aU.  There  is  prayer  in  the  upturning  of  an 
eye ;  there  is  prayer  in  the  heaving  of  a  breast ;  and  it 
is  often  to  no  more  than  these,  that  answers  have  been 
sent,  the  results  of  which  affect  the  soul,  even  for  eternity 
itself. 

This  continuance  in  prayer,  is  independent  of  place,  as 
well  as  time.  Some  people  are  very  dependent  upon 
place,  and  becoming  slavishly  so,  they  are,  from  this 
very  cause,  hindered  in  continuance  in  prayer.  The 
old  minister's  servant  maid  will  teach  us  how  to  be  in^ 
dependent  of  time  and  place  in  prayer.  A  number  of 
ministers  were  assembled  for  the  discussion  of  difficult 
questions,  and  among  others  it  was  asked,  how  the  com- 
mand to  "pray  without  ceasing '^  could  be  complied 
with.  Various  suppositions  were  started,  and  at  length 
one  of  the  number  was  appointed  to  write  an  essay  upon 
it,  to  be  read  at  the  next  monthly  meeting ;  which  being 
heard  by  a  plain,  sensible  servant  girl,  she  exclaimed, 
"  What !  a  whole  month  wanted  to  tell  the  meaning  of 
that  text?  It  is  one  of  the  easiest  in  the  Bible.'' 
"Well,  well,"  said  an  old  minister,  "Mary,  what  can 
you  say  about  it  ?  let  us  know  how  you  understand  it. 
Can  you  pray  all  the  time  ?  "  "  Oh,  yes  Sir."  "  What, 
when  you  have  so  many  things  to  do  ?  "     "  Why,  Sir, 


232  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

the  more  I  have  to  do^  the  more  I  can  pray/^  '^  Indeed ! 
Well,  Marjj  do  let  us  know  how  it  is^  for  most  people 
think  otherwise/^  ''  Well^  Sir/^  said  the  girl^  "  when  I 
first  open  my  eyes  in  the  morning,  I  pray,  '  Lord,  open 
the  eyes  of  my  understanding ;'  and  while  I  am  dressing 
I  pray  that  I  may  be  clothed  with  the  robe  of  righteous- 
ness ;  and  when  I  have  washed  me,  I  ask  for  the  washing 
of  regeneration ;  and  as  I  begin  to  work,  I  pray  that  I 
may  have  strength  equal  to  my  day.  When  I  begin  to 
kindle  up  the  fire,  I  pray  that  God^s  work  may  revive  in 
my  soul ;  and  as  I  sweep  out  the  house  I  pray  that  my 
heart  may  be  cleansed  from  all  impurities;  and  while 
preparing  and  partaking  of  breakfast,  I  desii'C  to  be  fed 
with  the  hidden  manna  and  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word; 
and  as  I  am  busy  with  the  little  children,  I  look  up  to 
God  as  my  Father,  and  pray  for  the  spirit  of  adop- 
tion, that  I  may  be  His  child;  and  so  on  all  day. 
Everything  I  do  furnishes  me  with  a  thought  for  prayer." 
"  Enough,  enough,"  cried  the  old  divine ;  "  these  things 
are  revealed  to  babes,  and  often  hid  from  the  wise  and 
prudent.  Go  on,  Mary,"  said  he;  ^'^pray  without 
ceasing.  And  as  for  us,  my  brethren,  let  us  bless  the 
Lord  for  this  exposition,  and  remember  that  He  has 
said,  'The  meek  will  He  guide  in  judgment.^"  The 
essay,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  not  considered  necessary 
after  the  occurrence  of  this  little  event. 

Now,  to  pass  over  the  ideas  which  are  held  by  some, 
as  to  the  extraordinary  value  of  prayer  made  in  certain 
edifices,  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  let  us  come  to  the 
more  domestic  life  of  the  Christian,  and  see  how  he  is 
afiected  in  this  matter. 

Some,    (and  they  are  often  true   children   of  God,) 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  233 

cannot  pray  except  it  be  at  the  bed-side,  where  they  are 
accustomed  morning  and  evening  to  kneel,  or  in  some 
special  place  in  their  house,  which  they  have  set  apart 
for  that  purpose. 

I  say  nothing  against  their  having  a  special  place — 
there  are  advantages  in  having  such  a  special  place, 
when  practicable ;  but  he  who  exercises  himself  in  con- 
tinuance in  prayer,  must  be  wholly  independent  of  place. 
He  will  often  have  to  pray  in  very  strange  places  indeed. 
Not  long  since,  I  met  with  a  young  Christian  lady,  who 
was  compelled,  against  her  will,  to  be  present  at  the 
opera,  a  place  wholly  unfit  for  a  child  of  God,  and  I 
suppose  in  the  opinion  of  most,  a  very  unsuitable  one 
for  prayer — but  the  testimony  of  that  person  was,  that 
she  never  felt  herself  nearer  to  God  in  her  life.  She 
was  there  against  her  will,  and  God  knew  it;  and  He 
gave  her  power  wholly  to  abstract  herself  from  the  sights 
and  sounds  around,  and  speak  with  Him. 

A  Sunday  school  teacher,  knowing  that  all  the  boys  in 
his  class  were  constantly  occupied  during  the  week, 
feared  much  that  prayer  was  sometimes  neglected. 
He  insisted,  one  Sabbath,  on  the  importance  of  prayer. 
At  the  close,  he  asked  a  little  boy,  of  ten  years  of  age, 
who  led  a  very  uncomfortable  life  in  the  service  of  a 
master  sweep,  "  And  do  you  ever  pray  ?  "  "  Oh,  yes ! 
Monsieur."  '^^And  when  do  you  do  it?  You  go  out 
early  in  the  morning,  do  you  not?"  ^^  Yes,  Monsieur; 
and  we  are  only  half  awake  when  we  leave  the  house. 
I  think  about  God,  but  cannot  say  that  I  pray  then." 
"  When  then  ?  "  ^^  You  see.  Monsieur,  our  master  orders 
us  to  mount  the  chimney  quickly,  but  does  not  forbid  us 
to  rest  a  little  when  we  are  at  the  top.     Then  I  sit  upon 

X  2 


234  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

the  top  of  tlie  chimney  and  pray/'  "  And  what  do  you 
say?''  "Ah  !  Monsieur,  very  little !  I  know  no  grand 
words  with  which  to  speak  to  God.  Most  frequently  I 
only  repeat  a  verse  that  I  have  learned  at  school/' 
"What  is  that?"  The  scholar  repeated  with  fervour, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 

Here  are  some  instances ;  and  if  a  man,  whose  habit 
is  "  to  continue  in  prayer,"  were  to  note  down,  for  a 
single  week,  all  the  places  in  which  he  had  prayed 
during  that  week,  some  persons  would  be  very  much 
surprised  indeed.  The  railway  carriage,  the  road,  the 
shop,  the  garden,  would  be  found  to  have  been  places 
of  prayer — and  one,  just  as  acceptable  as  another, 
before  God. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  it  is  hard  to  pray  in 
any  of  these  places.  It  is  the  spirit  of  a  man  that  prays, 
and  the  spirit  may  be  quietly  before  the  throne,  while 
the  body  is  whirling  along  amid  the  noise  and  dust 
of  travel.  There  is  many  a  railway  carriage  in  this 
kingdom,  the  corner  of  which  has  served  as  a  place  of 
prayer  for  the  child  of  God — the  man  that  was  sitting 
there  was  not  asleep — behold,  he  prayed  !  And  many  a 
prayer  has  gone  up  from  the  believer,  as  he  walked  along 
the  road.  When  we  are  walking  alone  on  the  road,  or 
in  the  fields,  is  an  excellent  time  for  prayer.  It  is  not 
by  any  means  impossible  to  pray  short  prayers,  while 
threading  one's  way  amid  the  people  and  carriages  which 
throng  the  streets  of  a  large  town ;  how  much  less  so  to 
pray,  as  we  walk  along  in  quiet.  And  thus  it  will 
be  seen,  how  entirely  vain  must  be  the  excuse  of  those, 
who  say  that  "  they  have  no  time,  or  no  opportunity  to 
pray."     If  they  say,  "  We  have  no  inclination,"  will  it 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  235 

not  be  nearer  the  truth  ?  God  will  accept  real  prayer, 
no  matter  from  what  locality  it  is  sent  up,  no  matter  at 
what  time.  He  will  listen  to  the  prayer  of  the  poor 
woman  as  she  bends  over  her  wash  tub  or  ironing  board, 
or  plies  her  needle ;  and  it  will  be  as  acceptable  to  Him, 
as  though  it  ascended  from  the  fretted  aisles  of  the 
gorgeous  temple,  as  though  it  were  embodied  in "  the 
chantings  of  the  minister,  and  in  the  responses  of  a 
surpliced  choir.  Pick  out  the  meanest  of  man^s  occu- 
pations, (provided  it  be  not  a  sinful  one,) — let  it  be  the 
sweeping  of  the  streets — let  it  be  the  gathering,  from 
house  to  house,  of  the  offal  of  lifers  daily  supplies; 
while  engaged  in  such  an  occupation,  prayer,  brighter 
than  eartVs  brightest  jewels,  prayer,  sweeter  than 
earth^s  daintiest  perfume,  may  be  made  by  the  poorest 
of  the  sons  of  men — aye,  and  while  men  pass  with  pity 
or  contempt  the  man  that  they  think  degraded  by  this 
miserable  occupation,  they  may,  unknown  to  themselves, 
have  passed  a  man  who,  while  handling  eartVs  most 
contemptible  things,  was  moving  heaven  itself,  and 
holding  immediate  communion  with  his  God. 

Let  not  this,  dear  reader,  be  pointed  out  to  you 
without  some  practical  result.  Something  will  be  gained 
if  you  get  the  well  defined  idea,  that  prayer  may  be  made 
in  every  time,  in  every  place  ;  that  you  may  thus  pray ; 
that  there  need  be  no  formality  of  posture  when  you 
thus,  apart  from  the  stated  time  of  prayer,  come  before 
your  God.  The  soul  may  come  into  a  posture  of  prayer 
when  the  body  cannot ;  when  we  walk,  or  ride,  or  sit, 
our  soul  may  be  in  reverence  before  the  throne ;  he  who 
is  able  to  continue  in  prayer,  knows  this ;  he  prays  at  all 
times,  and  in  all  places. 


236  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

We  must  observe,  further,  on  this  point,  that  prayer  is 
thus  made,  not  only  with  some  special  occasion,  but  also 
without  it. 

We  have  indeed  occasions  enough  continually  pressing 
upon  us,  and  making  us,  if  we  be  men  of  God,  to  engage 
in  prayer.  He  who  knows,  and  experimentally  realizes, 
that  all  things  must  be  brought  to  God  in  prayer,  and 
that  all  things  may  be  brought  to  God  in  prayer,  will 
surely  never  be  at  a  loss  for  matter  for  his  prayers ;  he 
will  never  say,  "  I  have  nothing  particular  to  pray  about, 
I  have  nothing  particular  to  say."  Scarce  a  day  passes 
over  our  heads,  without  affording  special  matter  for 
prayer.  Dangers  are  apprehended;  some  of  the  wheels 
of  lifers  daily  machinery  get  out  of  repair,  or  need  to  be 
oiled  with  an  unction  which  we  cannot  give,  so  that  they 
may  run  smooth;  children  or  friends  are  ill;  vexations 
have  to  be  borne ;  all  these,  as  they  arise,  either  in  fact, 
or  in  our  thoughts,  are  matter  enough  for  prayer.  But 
let  us  suppose  that  everything  in  life  is  going  on 
smoothly;  God^s  people  have  plenty  to  pray  about, 
nevertheless.  They  have  some  temptation  to  overcome ; 
they  have  some  spiritual  comfort  and  blessing  to  be 
obtained,  of  which  they  are  feeling  sore  and  pressing 
need ;  these  things  are  uppermost  in  their  thoughts,  and 
as  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh, 
so  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  does  the  mouth 
speak  in  prayer. 

Men  who  are  unacquainted  with  divine  things  may 
say,  ''  We  never  feel  these  pressing  occasions,  indeed, 
very  often  when  we  kneel  down,  we  don^t  know  what  to 
pray  for  next,  and,  therefore,  as  we  wish  to  do  right,  we 
have  bought  a  book ! "     Ah,  dear  reader,  was  the  book 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  237 

ever  written  that  contained  all  that  a  Spirit-taught  man 
would  say  to  God?  A  book  is  at  best  a  crutch — no 
doubt  it  is  better  to  walk  with  a  crutch^  than  not  to 
walk  at  all — but  surely  we  ought  to  have  thoughts 
enough  in  our  hearts_,  to  supply  words  enough  for 
our  lips. 

But  let  us  now  set  the  '^  pressing  occasions'^  entirely 
aside  J  and  see  how  God's  people  find  abundance  about 
which  to  continue  in  prayer,  even  without  them.  Just 
as  a  man  is  full  of  thoughts  and  interests  in  his  natural 
life,  so  also  is  he  in  his  spiritual  existence ;  supposing,  of 
course,  that  he  is  a  real  child  of  God.  These  give  him 
matter  for  continuous  prayer — some  or  other  of  them 
are  continually  coming  uppermost  in  his  mind,  and  he 
speaks  about  them  to  the  Lord. 

Take,  first  of  all,  the  thoughts  of  a  child  of  God.  He 
longs  to  be  holy ;  he  is  deeply  conscious  of  how  unholy 
he  is ;  then  the  thought  gives  birth  to  prayer ;  he  may 
be  walking,  or  travelling,  or,  perhaps,  sitting  by  his  fire- 
side ;  but  his  heart  goes  up  to  God,  he  begins  to  pray. 
I  do  not  say  that  he  makes  a  long  prayer ;  but  with  all 
his  heart  he  says  to  God,  '^  O  Lord,  may  the  Spirit 
sanctify  me,  and  make  me  more  like  Christ'' — the  prayer 
is  never  breathed  in  words  which  fall  on  human  ear,  but 
passes  straight  upward  from  his  heart  of  hearts  to  the 
throne  of  the  Majesty  on  high. 

Or  perhaps  his  thought  is  upon  loving  Jesus,  (and 
thoughts  upon  this  subject  continually  enter  and  abide 
in  the  believer's  mind)  and  this  thought  soon  turns 
to  prayer.  Christ's  people  all  deeply  feel  that  they  do 
not  love  Him  more ;  they  are  often  angry  with  themselves 
about  this ;  they  often  are  anxious  about  it ;  and  soon 


238  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

the  thought  changes  into  prayer.  They  say_,  ^'  O  Lord, 
how  coldj  how  stony  is  this  poor  heart  of  mine ;  I  cannot 
love  Thee  by  myself;  oh  make  me  love  as  Thou  Thyself 
wonldest  have  me  love/^ — perhaps  they  repeat  the  same 
few  words  over  and  over  again;  yes,  twenty  times  or 
more — ^'  Lord,  make  me  love."  And  thus,  even  so  far  as 
thoughts  are  concerned_,  the  Christian  is  never  at  a  loss 
for  subject-matter  for  his  prayers. ' 

Now  turn  for  a  moment  from  his  thoughts  to  his 
interests. 

We  all  know  what  it  is  to  have  certain  subjects  of 
interest  to  our  minds.  We  take  an  interest  in,  it  may 
be,  political,  town,  or  social  matters,  or  in  persons  or 
pursuits;  all  of  which  are,  strictly  speaking,  outside 
ourselves.  Thus  does  the  child  of  God — as  such ;  he  has 
an  interest  in  God's  cause,  perhaps  as  regards  the  place 
in  which  he  is,  perhaps  in  the  case  of  certain  individuals ; 
or  that  interest  may  take  a  wider  range  than  either  of 
these.  These  interests  will  find  their  way  into  the  sup- 
plications of  the  man  that  knows  what  it  is  to  continue 
in  prayer.  He  will  make  such  petitions  as  these — "  Lord, 
awaken  such  an  one  to  a  sense  of  the  ruin  which  lies 
before  him ;"  ''  Lord,  deepen  the  impressions  which  have 
been  made  in  the  mind  of  such  an  one ;"  "  Lord,  open 
Thine  hand,  and  provide  the  means  for  carrying  on  Thy 
work ;"  ''  Lord,  prosper  Thine  own  cause  in  the  place  in 
which  we  live."  The  man  who  continues  in  prayer  will 
say,  as  he  walks  to  the  house  where  the  sick  person  lives, 
to  whom  he  would  minister  in  the  name  of  Christ, ''  Lord, 
give  me  access  here,  make  my  visit  acceptable  and  use- 
ful;" and  in  all  probability  he  will  add  another  little 
petition  as  he  goes  away.     If  he  hear  the  funeral  bell  and 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  239 

knows  that  at  that  moment  a  neighbour  is  iabout  to  be 
carried  to  the  grave,,  he  will  say,  ^'  Lord,  comfort  the 
bereaved  and  mourning  ones;  Lord,  bless  the  solemn 
season  to  their  souls^^ — and  so  on,  aU  days,  all  weeks,  all 
months,  all  years,  until  his  own  tongue  be  silent  in  death ; 
and  he  has  passed  from  the  place  of  prayer  to  that  of 
praise. 

May  it  be  given  to  us  to  know  more  and  more  of  this 
continuance  in  prayer,  for  it  is  not  anything  high-flown 
or  chimerical  in  the  Christian  life,  it  is  solid  matter  of 
fact.  Some  thus  pray;  so  also,  by  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit,  may  many  more  of  us.  The  Lord  pour  out  that 
Spirit,  and  enable  us  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  Evenings 
and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray  and  cry  aloud  :  and 
He  shall  hear  my  voice  !" 


240 


CHAPTER    XIII. 
THE  'a  WILL"  OF  CONTINUANCE  IN  PRAYEE. 


Psalm  Iv,  17.  "Evening,  and  morning,  afid  at  noon,  will  I 
pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice" 

¥E  see  from  what  lias  been  said,  what  it  is  to  con- 
tinue in  prayer ;  and  that  this  continnance  is  a 
solid  practical  reality,  attainable  by  ordinary  Christians, 
and,  in  point  of  fact,  weU  known  to  many  in  the  ex- 
periences of  their  daily  spiritual  life. 

We  now  turn  to  the  consideration  of  what  is  ne- 
cessary, FOR  ENABLING  A  MAN  TO  ATTAIN  TO  THIS 
CONTINUANCE. 

One  very  important  point  is.  Realization  of  privilege — 
that  a  man  should  feel  that  he  is  privileged  to  take  up  a. 
higher  standing,  than  that  of  a  mere  worshipper,  that  he 
may  hold  communion  with  God. 

It  will  of  course  be  understood  that,  no  matter  how 
closely  a  man  be  drawn  to  God  in  sonship,  worship  is 
what  is  due  from  him  as  a  creature,  to  God  as  his 
Creator.  The  deepest  reverence  and  awe  will  ever  fill  the 
mind  which  knows  the  Holy  One  aright.     Before  Him. 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  241 

even  the  angels  veil  their  faces,  and  the  heavens  are 
not  pure  in  His  sight ;  this  he,  who  continues  in  prayer 
will  always  keep  in  mind,  and  he  will  never  presume  to 
be  irreverent,  because  he  has  been  privileged  to  hold 
communion. 

There  is,  unquestionably,  a  position  higher  than  that 
of  a  worshipper.  Unconverted  men  may  worship,  but 
higher  than  that  they  cannot  go.  Mere  natural  religion 
and  education  may  make  a  man  a  worshipper ;  the  first 
may  send  a  thrill  through  the  mind,  as  the  vastness  of 
creation  is  thought  upon,  and  the  power  of  the  Creator 
is  linked  with  it;  the  other  may  ingraft  the  idea  that 
God  ought  to  be  worshipped  and  honoured,  as  the 
Supreme  Being  in  the  universe ;  but  here  worship  ends, 
and  it  can  never  expand  into  communion.  Worship  is 
a  duty,  communion  is  a  privilege. 

He  who  is  enjoying  the  privilege  of  communion  with 
God,  is  in  a  far  higher  position  than  the  worshipper ;  and 
the  realization  of  this  will  be  a  great  help  to  the  habit 
of  continuance  in  prayer.  A  little  consideration  will 
easily  shew  us  how  this  may  be. 

If  we  feel  that  we  have  the  privilege  of  sons,  we  shall 
act  towards  our  Father  as  children  do  towards  a  parent. 
A  child,  from  the  simple  realization  of  his  connection 
with  his  parent,  comes  to  him  at  all  times,  and  asks  him 
about  everything.  His  reverence  for  his  parent  is  not 
diminished  by  the  fact,  that  he  may  thus  come  to  him ; 
that  the  father  does  not  require  set  forms  and  ceremonies 
to  be  gone  through,  before  the  child  can  open  his  lips. 
Were  this  the  case,  the  child  would,  in  all  probability, 
stay  away  when  he  had  only  apparently  little  things  to 
speak  about,  or  ask  for ;  and  would  draw  near  only  when 

Y 


242  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

the  greatness  of  the  matter  in  hand  would  appear  to 
warrant  his  approach.  It  will  not  be  difficult  to  trace 
what  serious  consequences  may  result  from  such  a  state 
as  this :  great  evils  often  come  from  very  small  be- 
ginnings, and  the  little  things  about  which  we  might 
have  spokeU;  had  we  felt  our  privilege  of  doing  so,  are 
perhaps,  some  of  the  very  beginnings  from  which  evils 
are  destined  to  proceed.  The  buds  of  evil  are  nipped,  in 
the  privileged  communications  which  pass  between  the 
believer  and  his  God ;  when  the  first  pains  of  a  cliild  are 
brought  before  the  notice  of  the  tender  parent,  he  takes 
measures  which  avert  a  grievous  illness,  and  much  after 
suffering. 

Moreover,  if  we  do  not  feel  that  we  have  the  privilege 
of  talking  to  God,  we  shall  perhaps  think  we  ought  not 
to  commend  such  things  to  Him  at  all,  for  we  may  think 
that  they  are  not  important  enough  to  be  made  the  sub- 
jects of  set  and  solemn  prayer.  This  is  a  mistake,  but 
our  business  now  is  with  the  results  of  the  error;  the 
result  is  simply  this,  we  take  the  small  matter  into  our 
own  hands,  and  do  it  wrongly,  or  do  it  without  a  blessing, 
and  thus  trouble  or  loss  are  sure  to  attach  themselves  to 
it.  A  few  words  of  prayer — even  a  look  to  God  upon 
the  subject,  might  have  set  the  whole  matter  right; 
these  were  not  given,  not  because  of  any  unbelief,  but 
because  of  a  want  of  realization  of  privilege,  and  the  con- 
sequences we  see. 

Let  us  remember  that  a  man  may  fail  in  this  point, 
even  though  he  may  not  be  unacquainted,  and  that 
practically,  with  many  of  the  other  privileges  of  sonship. 
For  example,  he  may  clearly  see  that  God,  as  a  gracious 
Father,  is  educating  him  when  He  sends  him  trials ;  and 


GONTTNUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  243 

that  as  a  Father,,  He  will^  in  a  general  way,  make  all 
needful  provision  for  him^  and  will  love  him,  and  event- 
ually sscure  his  eternal  happiness ;  but  he  fails  in  this 
particular  point,  of  realization  of  privilege. 

Let  us  endeavour  ever  more  and  more,  to  realize  the 
privileges  connected  with  sonship  with  God ;  so  to  realize 
them,  as  to  use  them;  let  ns  remember  that  we  have 
been  called  to  a  position  far  higher  than  that  of  a  mere 
worshipper — and  not  only  far  higher,  but  far  closer  also 
— and  that  that  position  confers  upon  us  the  privilege  of 
talking  to  God  about  everything,  and  doing  so  at  every 
time,  and  in  every  place. 

Some  instances  of  God's  answers  to  prayer  will  be 
given  in  a  future  chapter;  it  may  be  well,  however,  to 
impress  this  subject  upon  the  reader's  mind,  by  some 
examples ;  perhaps  when  these  are  thought  on,  they  may 
^icourage  him  to  seek  God  in  what  may  be  called  the 
common  things  of  daily  life. 

Two  Christian  parents  had  a  little  child,  whose  rest- 
lessness at  night,  accompanied  with  continual  and  violent 
crying,  had  almost  worn  out  a  valuable  nurse.  At  last, 
in  order  to  give  the  nurse  some  rest,  the  parents  determined 
on  taking  the  little  one  for  a  night  themselves.  At  first 
all  was  quiet;  but  in  a  very  little  while,  the  crying 
commenced,  and  was  carried  on  until  one  of  the  two 
parents,  who  was  ill,  was  almost  worn  out.  All  efforts 
to  hush  the  little  one  were  in  vain;  and  at  last  the  parents 
bethought  themselves  of  doing  what  they  should  have 
done  at  first.  They  jointly  asked  God  to  still  the  child's 
crying  for  the  night ;  and  in  answer  to  that  prayer  the 
child  then  ceased,  and  went  to  sleep,  and  had  restless 
nights  no  more.     Those  are  true  words  in  the  collect, — 


244  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

"  Who  art  always  more  ready  to  hear^  than  we  to  pray, 
and  art  wont  to  give  more  than  either  we  desire  or 
deserve/'  What  could  seem  more  insignificant,  as  a 
subject  of  prayer,  than  the  crying  of  a  child?  but  God  is  If 
honoured  by  the  faith  that  casts  little  things  upon  Him,  \ 
recognising  at  once  the  comprehensiveness  of  His  mind, 
and  of  His  love. 

Two  Christian  persons  were  about  to  perform  a  long 
and  trying  journey ;  one  of  them  was  in  such  a  state  of 
health,  as  to  make  it  likely  that  the  journey  would  be  a 
very  considerable  trial  to  flesh  and  blood.  The  mind  of 
one  of  these  travellers  was  led  to  commend  this  matter 
to  the  Lord,  and  to  ask  Him  for  such  especial  travelling 
mercies,  and  strength,  for  his  friend,  that  the  journey 
might  not  prove  wearisome,  or  too  much  for  the  frame 
which  had  to  sustain  it.  The  hours  of  night  rolled  on, 
and  as  the  morning  broke,  the  one  for  whom  the  prayer 
had  been  offered,  and  who  had  shewn  no  sign  of  fatigue, 
turned  to  the  other  and  remarked,  that,  strange  to  say, 
no  fatigue  was  being  experienced,  and  that  the  time 
seemed  flying  by  rapidly.  Then  the  reason  was  told, 
and  the  secret  of  the  prayer  let  out ;  and  when  the  journey 
was  finally  accomplished,  and  rest  could  easily  be  had, 
the  traveller  did  not  need  it,  or  take  it,  but  was  able  to 
go  about,  as  if  the  previous  night  had  been  spent  in  bed, 
and  not  in  a  railway  train. 

A  Christian  man,  a  relative  of  the  author,  was  in  great 
difficulty  with  reference  to  a  paper  of  consequence,  which 
was  required  immediately,  but  could  not  be  found. 
Search  was  made  in  all  parts  of  the  counting  house;  old 
drawers  and  pigeon  holes,  seldom  disturbed,  were  ran- 
sacked, but  to  no  purpose ;  the  document  could  not  be 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  245 

found.  When  reduced  almost  to  despair^  he.  bethought 
himself  of  the  power  of  prayer,  and  asked  the  Lord  to 
guide  him  to  the  place  where  the  paper  was.  It  now 
came  into  his  mind  to  go  to  a  certain  spot,  and  there  ne 
found  the  object  of  his  search. 

Somewhat  similar  to  this,  is  the  instance  of  a  worthy- 
man  who  lost  a  purse  containing  a  considerable  sum  of 
money,  as  he  was  returning  home.  As  the  money  was 
not  his  own,  he  was  greatly  distressed,  for  it  was  not 
probable  that  his  statement  of  having  lost  it  would  be 
believed.  On  reaching  a  roadside  inn  he  got  a  lantern 
and  carefully  retraced  his  steps,  examining  the  road  as 
closely  as  he  could,  but  with  no  success.  At  length, 
well  nigh  in  despair,  he  went  to  the  roadside,  and 
earnestly  besought  God  to  help  him  in  his  difficulty,  and 
enable  him  to  find  the  purse.  At  that  moment  he  struck 
his  foot  against  something  hard,  and  on  putting  down 
his  hand  to  ascertain  what  it  was,  he  discovered  to  his 
great  joy,  the  purse  which  he  had  lort.  God  had  guided 
him  to  the  very  place  in  which  he  intended  to  answer 
his  prayers. 

The  author  remembers  a  case  where  it  was  very  neces- 
sary that  an  invalid  should  take  a  certain  medicine. 
Three  portions  had  been  sent  by  the  surgeon,  and  the 
first  two  were  immediately  rejected.  There  remained 
now  but  one,  and  there  was  every  probability  that  it 
would  share  the  fate  of  the  previous  two.  It  was  a 
matter  of  consequence  that  it  should  not,  and  a  prayer 
was  offered  by  a  bystander  to  that  effect,  and  the  medi- 
cine was  taken  without  any  difficulty. 

It  was  necessary  that  a  minister  should  undertake  a 
journey,  for  which,  however,  he  had  not  a  sufficiency  of 

Y  2 


246  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

funds.  Special  prayer  was  made  to  the  Lord  to  supply 
the  means^  and  on  retiring  to  rest  at  a  friend's  house, 
which  was  on  the  way,  the  person  in  question  saw  an 
envelope  on  his  looking  glass,  which  on  being  opened  was 
found  to  contain  a  ten  pound  note,  and  a  line  saying  it 
was  for  "travelling  expenses.^'  The  minister's  hostess 
said  "  she  could  not  go  to  rest  until  she  put  it  there ;  she 
felt  constrained  to  do  it." 

Everything  which  is  not  sinful  we  may  bring  to  God ; 
the  minuteness  of  His  love  will  always  make  Him  con- 
descend to  the  minuteness  of  our  need. 

That,  however,  which  above  all  things  will  enable  us 
to  continue  in  prayer,  is  the  Holy  Ghost's  operation 
upon  the  '  habit '  of  our  minds. 

There  are  diverse  operations  of  the  Spirit,  He  works 
upon  the  mind's  reasoning,  and  imaginative,  and  receptive 
powers;  He  works  upon  its  habit  also.  YIq  know,  it  is 
to  be  hoped  from  experience,  what  some  of  His  operations 
are  in  these  former  particulars.  Our  reasoning  powers 
have  been  rectified,  and  adjusted,  and  strengthened,  in  all 
things  connected  with  the  spiritual  world ;  our  imagina- 
tion has  been  cleansed,  and  sweetened,  and  our  powers 
of  receiving  truth  have  been  deepened  and  enlarged ;  but 
has  the  habit  of  our  mind  been  wrought  upon  by  the 
Holy  Ghost? 

If  the  mind's  bent  has  been  turned  heavenward,  the 
very  fact  of  its  being  fixed  on  God  will,  in  itself,  be  a 
great  stimulant  to  continuous  prayer.  The  mind  thus 
sanctified  will,  as  it  were,  naturally  fall  into  holy  thought, 
and  begin  to  speak  with  God. 

Seek,  dear  reader,  for  a  sanctified  habit  of  mind,  for 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  247 

it  will  enable  you  continually  to  pray,  and  will  bring 
down  upon  you  continual  blessing.  Prayer  will  thus  be 
not  an  effort,  but  an  outflowing  of  the  mind.  No  doubt 
there  will  be  times  when  prayer  will  require  intense 
effort;  times  of  special  temptation,  special  sorrow,  or 
special  conflict — then,  the  occasion  being  extraordinary, 
the  prayer  must  be  so  also ;  but  in  all  ordinary  commu- 
nings with  God,  the  sanctification  of  the  habit  of  the 
mind  will  give  us  both  continuance  and  power 

Let  us  now  enquire  into  the  results  of  this  continuance 
in  prayer  as  a  habit. 

One  result  has  reference  to  what  we  have  this  moment 
been  speaking  about.  Continuance  in  prayer  will  help 
to  keep  up  the  spirituality  of  our  tone  of  mind.  Do  we 
not  find  ourselves  day  by  day  prone  to  slip  down  from 
any  spirituality  to  which  we  may  have  attained?  Are 
we  not  very  like  some  stringed  instrument,  the  continual 
tendency  of  which  is  to  decline  from  concert  pitch? 
Unless  the  body  be  continually  refreshed  by  breathing 
in  pure  air,  it  will  droop ;  the  soul  is  as  dependent  upon 
refreshment  as  the  body,  and  the  souVs  refreshment  is  in 
prayer. 

Another  most  important  result  is  this,  we  cannot 
become  strangers  to  the  throne  of  grace  :  nothing  pleases 
Satan  more,  than  to  interrupt  our  appearances  before 
the  throne  of  grace.  He  will  disturb  our  regular  times 
and  opportunities  of  prayer,  if  he  can ;  and  failing  that, 
he  will  make  us,  strangers  to  ejaculatory  and  continuous 
prayer. 

How  often  do  we  find  in  daily  life  that  we  insensibly 
become  almost  strangers  to  those  whom  once  we  knew 


248  CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER. 

well_,  but  frequent  intercourse  with  whom  had  become 
gradually  broken !  And  have  we  not  also  found  that,  as 
time  rolled  on_,  we  missed  the  accustomed  intercourse 
less  and  less,  until  at  length  we  found  that  we  could  do 
very  well  without  those  in  whose  society  we  once  found 
pleasure  ?  Such  a  thought  would  at  one  time  have  been 
repudiated,  and  deemed  treasonable  against  all  friendship 
and  fine  feeling;  but  experience  shows  us  that  the 
thought  is  true. 

To  make  the  child  of  God  a  stranger  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  is  a  continual  effort  of  Satan ;  he  knows  that  the 
heart  will  gradually  become  less  and  less  willing  to  talk 
with  God,  the  confidence  of  the  heart  will  decrease,  its 
openness  and  communicativeness  will  diminish;  and  as 
it  becomes  more  and  more  reserved,  it  will  turn  in  more 
upon  itself;  it  will  become  suspicious  and  timid,  and 
have  the  feeling  that  it  has  something  to  do,  something 
to  overcome,  before  it  can  speak  with  God,  as  it  used 
easily  to  do  in  former  times.  Let  us  be  assured  that  the 
feeling  of  strangeness  is  one  which  grows  rapidly,  and 
that  in  an  increasing  ratio. 

Another  good  result  of  continuance  of  prayer  is  this ; 
we  can  bring  multitudes  of  things  before  God  as  they 
arise,  which  otherwise  we  might  have  forgotten.  Little 
things  are  soon  forgotten,  and  yet,  as  we  have  already 
observed,  they  are  often  of  great  importance ;  being,  in 
fact,  but  the  pivots  on  which  greater  things  turn.  So 
easily  are  little  things  forgotten,  that  many  of  them  are 
gone,  even  before  the  time  for  our  usual  evening  prayer. 
They  are  gone  from  our  memories,  without  ever  having 
been  committed  to  God — but  though  gone  from  our 
memories,  they  have  not  gone  from  the  field  of  action ; 


CONTINUANCE    IN    PRAYER.  249 

they  have  amalgamated  with  other  things/  or  linked 
themselves  with  them,  for  the  production  of  some  result. 

There  is  just  one  point  more  which  I  would  notice_,  and 
that  is,  as  a  result  of  continuous  prayer,  we  shall  have  a 
blessing  in  special  acts.  "When  we  are  about  to  do  a 
thing,  if  we  ask  a  blessing  upon  it,  and  if  that  thing  be 
not  evil  we  shall  receive  the  blessing.  We  should  seek 
for  special  as  well  as  general  blessings.  We  often  lose 
the  special  in  the  general,  and  consequently  do  not 
receive  because  we  do  not  ask.  Let  us  have  the  spirit 
of  continuous  prayer,  and  say,  "  Lord,  help  me  in  thiSj 
Lord,  avert  that,^'  and  the  special  blessing  will  surely 
come. 

Thus,  dear  reader,  ever  living  in  supplication,  we  shall 
also  ever  live  in  giving  of  thanks ;  and  no  matter  how 
varied  be  our  need,  we  shall  ever  have  a  resource ;  no 
matter  how  many  our  enemies,  we  shall  ever  have  a  very 
present  help — ours  surely,  amid  all  the  changes  and 
chances  of  this  mortal  life,  will  be  that  peace  which  the 
world  never  gave,  and  which  the  world  can  never  take 
away. 


250 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  'a  WILL"  OF  EXPECTATIOT^  IN  PRAYER. 


Psalm  Iv,  16,  17.  ^^  As  for  me  I  will  call  upon  God;  and  the 
Lord  shall  save  me.  Eoenhig,  and  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I 
pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice." 

HAPPY  is  that  man  wlio  has  an  expecting  heart ;  who 
goes  upon  his  knees  as  a  living  reality^  believing 
that  his  words  are  full  of  meaning,  that  God  hears  them, 
and  that  God  will  certainly  answer  them ;  such  an  one 
will  be  great  in  prayer,  and  will  surely  receive  signal 
answers — real  answers  to  real  prayers. 

The  subject  of  which  this  chapter  proposes  to  treat,  is 
one  of  great  interest  to  the  believer ;  it  is  one  to  which 
in  all  probability  the  believing  reader  could  add  much 
out  of  his  own  experience.  Who  is  there  that  prays  at  all, 
who  cannot  bring  forward  some  practical  proofs  from  the 
diary  of  his  own  life,  that  God  is  a  prayer  hearing  and  a 
prayer  answering  God  ? 

Faithful  Expectation  in  Prayer  is  the  subject 
which  we  are  to  consider  now;  and  here  we  shall  have 
an  opportunity  of  bringing  forward  some  examples  of 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  251 

God's  faitlifulness  in  answering  prayers ;  '  and  very 
precious  such  examples  are,  for  the  mind  loves  to  dwell 
on  facts_,  and  to  argue  from  them ;  and  with  very  many, 
one  fact  has  more  weight  than  a  thousand  arguments. 

Our  first  enquiry  is_,  ivhat  is  it  to  expect  in  Prayer  ? 

It  is  to  believe  that  an  answer  will  come,  to  be  looking 
out  for  an  answer,  and  to  be  patient  in  expecting  it. 

Vast  multitudes  of  prayers  are  offered  without  any 
positive  expectation  being  connected  with  them.  They 
are  offered  up  because  men  think  that  the  proper  thing 
to  do  under  certain  circumstances  is  to  say  a  prayer ;  or 
perhaps  because  men  have  been  used  to  say  prayers,  but 
the  living  reality  of  expectation  is  not  found  in  them. 

How  differently  do  we  act  towards  God  and  man. 
When  we  go  to  our  fellow  man  for  anything,  we  are  in 
expectation  of  receiving  it,  or  we  hope  so  to  do;  we 
have  some  definite  idea  connected  with  our  words.  But 
when  we  pray  to  God,  and  that,  oftentimes  for  fixed  and 
definite  things,  we  never  think  about  the  coming  of  the 
answer,  we  are  not  really  on  the  look  out  for  it,  expecting 
it,  just  as  we  should  be  on  the  look  out  for  the  post 
with  a  letter  to  us  containing  money,  from  a  well  tried 
and  wealthy  friend  to  whom  we  had  applied  in  our  dis- 
tress. I  can  give  the  reader  no  better  example  of  such 
expectation  than  one  which  is  to  be  found  in  Miiller's 
narrative  of  the  orphan  houses  at  Bristol.  The  account 
is  given  in  his  own  words. 

"  To  suppose  that  we  have  difficulty  only  about  money 
would  be  a  mistake ;  there  occur  hundreds  of  other  wants 
and  hundreds  of  other  difficulties.  It  is  a  rare  thing  that  a 
day  comes  without  some  difficulty  or  some  want ;  but  often 


252  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

there  are  many  difficulties  and  many  wants  to  be  met  and 
overcome  the  same  day.  All  these  are  met  by  prayer  and 
faith,  our  universal  remedy  for  every  difficulty  and  every 
want ;  and  I  have  never  been  confounded.  Patient^  perse- 
vering, and  believing  prayer,  offered  up  to  God  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  has  always,  sooner  or  later,  brought  the 
blessing.  I  do  not  despair,  by  God's  grace,  concerning 
the  obtaining  of  any  blessing,  provided  I  can  be  sure  my 
obtaining  it  would  be  for  my  real  good,  and  for  the  glory 
of  God.  I  relate  here  for  the  benefit  of  the  reader  one 
instance,  out  of  many,  to  show  what  are  our  difficulties 
under  which  we  give  ourselves  to  prayer,  and  under 
which  we  are  helped. 

"  It  was  towards  the  end  of  November,  of  1857,  when  I 
was  most  unexpectedly  informed  that  the  boiler  of  our 
heating  apparatus  at  the  New  Orphan  House,  No.  1, 
leaked  very  considerably,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  go 
tlu-ough  the  winter  with  such  a  leak.  Our  heating 
apparatus  consists  of  a  large  cylinder  boiler,  inside  of 
which  the  fire  is  kept,  and  with  which  boiler  the  water- 
pipes  which  warm  the  rooms  are  connected.  Hot  air  is 
also  connected  with  this  apparatus.  This  now  was  my 
position.  The  boiler  had  been  considered  suited  for  the 
work  of  the  winter ;  the  having  had  ground  to  suspect 
its  being  worn  out,  and  not  to  have  done  anything 
towards  its  being  replaced  by  a  new  one,  and  to  have 
said  I  will  trust  to  God  regarding  it,  would  be  careless 
presumption,  but  not  faith  in  God.  It  would  be  the 
counterfeit  of  faith. 

"  The  boiler  is  entirely  surrounded  by  brickwork,  its 
state,  therefore,  could  not  be  known  without  taking 
down  the  brickwork ;  this,  if  needless,  would  be  rather 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  253 

injurious  to  tlie  boiler  than  otherwise;  and  as  year  after 
year_,  for  eight  winters^  we  had  had  no  ditficulty  in  this 
way,  we  had  not  anticipated  it  now.  But  suddenly,  and 
most  unexpectedly,  at  the  commencement  of  the  winter, 
this  difficulty  occurred.  What  then  was  to  be  done? 
For  the  children,  especially  the  younger  infants,  I  felt 
deeply  concerned,  that  they  might  not  suffer  through 
want  of  warmth.  But  how  were  we  to  obtain  warmth  ? 
The  introduction  of  a  new  boiler  would,  in  all  probability, 
take  many  weeks.  The  repairing  of  the  boiler  was  a 
questionable  matter,  on  account  of  the  greatness  of  the 
leak ;  but,  if  not,  nothing  could  be  said  of  it,  till  the  brick 
chamber,  in  which  the  boiler  with  Hazard^s  patent  heating 
apparatus  is  enclosed,  was  at  least  in  part  removed ;  but 
that  would,  at  least,  as  far  as  we  could  judge,  take  days, 
and  what  was  to  be  done  in  the  meantime  to  find  warm 
rooms  for  three  hundred  children  ?  It  naturally  occurred 
to  me  to  introduce  temporary  gas-stoves,  but  on  further 
weighing  the  matter,  it  was  found  that  we  should  be 
unable  to  heat  our  very  large  stoves,  which  we  could  not 
introduce,  as  we  had  not  a  sufficient  quantity  of  gas  to 
spare  from  our  lighting  apparatus.  Moreover,  for  each 
of  these  stoves  we  needed  a  small  chimney,  to  carry  off 
the  impure  air.  This  mode  of  heating,  therefore,  though 
applicable  to  a  hall,  a  staircase,  or  a  shop,  would  not 
suit  our  purposes.  I  also  thought  of  the  temporary 
introduction  of  Arnott^s  stoves;  but  they  would  be 
unsuitable,  as  we  needed  chimneys,  long  chimneys,  for 
them,  as  they  would  have  been  of  a  temporary  kind,  and 
therefore  must  go  out  of  the  windows.  On  this  account, 
the  imcertainty  of  its  answering  in  our  case,  the  dis- 
figurement of  the  rooms  almost  permanently,  led  me  to 


254  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

see  it  needful  to  give  up  this  plan  also.     But  what  was 
to   be   done?     Gladly    would    I    have    paid   £100,    if 
thereby  the  difficulty  could  have  been  overcome,  and  the 
children  not  be  exposed  to  suffer  for  many  days  from 
being  in  cold  rooms.     At  last  I  determined  on  falling 
entirely  into  the  hands  of  God,  who  is  very  merciful  and 
of  tender  compassion,  and  I  decided  on  having  at  all 
events  the  brick  chamber  opened,  to  see  the  extent  of 
the  damage,  and  to  see   whether  the  boiler   might   be 
repaired,  so  as  to  carry  us  through  the  winter.     The  day 
was  fixed  when  the  workmen  were  to  come,  and  all  the 
necessary  arrangements  were  made.     The  fire,  of  course, 
had  to  be  let  out  while  the  repairs  were  going  on.     But 
now  see.     After  the  day  was  fixed  for   the   repairs,  a 
bleak  north  wind  set  in.     It  began  to  blow  either  on 
Thursday  or  Friday  before  the  Wednesday   afternoon, 
when  the  fire  was  to  be  let  out.     Now  came  the  first 
really  cold  weather  which  we  had  in  the  beginning  of 
last  winter,  dming  the  first  days  of  December.     What 
was  to  be  done  ?     The  repairs  could  not  be  put  off.     I 
now  asked  the  Lord  for  two  things,  viz.,  that  He  would 
be  pleased  to  change  the  north  wind  into  a  south  wind, 
and   that   He   would  give   to   the   workmen   ^^a   mind 
to   work,^^   for   I   remembered    how    much    Nehemiah 
accomplished  in  fifty-two  days,  whilst  building  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem,  because  "  the  people  had  a  mind  to  work.^' 
Well,  the  memorable  day  came.     The  evening  before, 
the  bleak  north  wind  blew  still,  but  on  the  Wednesday 
the  south  wind  blew,  exactly  as  I  prayed.     The  weather 
was   so   mild   that   no    fire    was   needed.     The    brick- 
work is  removed,  the  leak  is  found  out  very  soon,  the 
boiler  makers  begin  to  repair  in  good  earnest.    About 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  255 

half-past  eight  in  the  evening,  when  I  was  going  to  leave 
the  New  Orphan  House  for  my  home,  I  was  informed  at 
the  lodge,  that  the  acting  principal  of  the  firm  whence 
the  boiler  makers  came  was  arrived,  to  see  how  the  work 
was  going  on,  and  whether  he  could  in  any  way  speed 
the  matter.  I  went  immediately,  therefore,  into  the 
cellar,  to  see  him  with  the  men,  to  seek  to  expedite  the 
business.  In  speaking  to  the  principal  of  this,  he  said, 
in  their  hearing,  "  the  men  will  work  late  this  evening, 
and  come  very  early  again  to-morrow.'^  "We  would 
rather,  sir,^'  said  the  leader,  "  work  all  night.^'  Then 
remembered  I  the  second  part  of  my  prayer,  that  God 
would  give  the  men  ^'  a  mind  to  work.^'  Thus  it  was ; 
by  the  morning,  the  repair  of  the  boiler  was  accomplished, 
the  leak  was  stopped,  though  with  great  difficulty,  and 
within  about  thirty  hours,  the  brickwork  was  up  again,  and 
the  fire  in  the  boiler ;  and  all  the  time  the  south  wind 
blew  so  mildly  that  there  was  not  the  least  need  of  a  fire." 

Here,  then,  is  a  plain  instance  of  expectation  in  prayer, 
a  definite  blessing  was  sought,  and  a  definite  blessing  was 
obtained. 

A  tradesman  was  about  to  return  to  London  from  a 
watering-place,  where  he  had  been  staying  for  a  few 
weeks;  his  presence  was  necessary  at  his  place  of 
business,  where  a  number  of  hands  were  employed, 
and  where  everything  was  not  going  on  very  smoothly. 
This  tradesman  was  to  have  started  in  the  afternoon, 
and  in  the  morning  he  went  to  take  a  last  plunge  in  the 
sea.  In  plunging,  he  struck  his  head  against  the  bottom, 
and  injured  the  vertebrae  of  the  back;  for  weeks  after- 
wards he  lay  dead  from  his  neck  downward,  but  perfectly 
alive  and  sensible,  so  far  as  his  head  was  concerned. 


256  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

The  great  earthly  trouble  pressing  upon  this  man's 
mind_,  was  the  state  of  affairs  in  his  office  in  London ; 
this  he  told  the  minister  who  attended  him.  The 
minister  said,  "Let  us  commit  the  matter  to  God;"  so 
he  knelt  down  and  prayed  that  God  would  be  graciously 
pleased  to  operate  on  the  minds  of  all  the  workmen,  to 
make  them  attentive  and  diligent,  to  make  them  feel 
that  God^s  eye  was  upon  them,  and  His  hand  over  them, 
to  keep  them  from  bad  conduct  of  every  kind,  and  to 
make  things  run  smoothly.  It  was  also  humbly  sub- 
mitted to  God  that  this  business  was  this  poor  man's 
means  of  livelihood  for  himself  and  a  large  family.  Two 
or  three  days  afterwards,  some  of  the  chief  hands  in  the 
business  came  to  see  their  sick  master,  and  told  him  that 
"there  was  a  wonderful  change  in  the  office,  that 
something  had  come  over  them,  and  that  they  all  felt 
they  could  not  do  enough  for  him !" 

Or  take  the  case  of  the  worthy  people  mentioned  in 
the  following  occurrence;  what  could  be  more  definite 
than  their  petition,  or  what  more  definite  than  the 
answer  they  received. 

"  Considerable  difficulty  and  annoyance  having  arisen  in 
the  affairs  of  a  certain  religious  community,  owing  to  the 
perverse  and  contentious  spirit  of  one  of  its  members,  it 
became  necessary  that  steps  should  be  taken  to  prevent 
his  doing  mischief.  This  could  only  be  accomplished  by 
obtaining  the  signature  of  a  gentleman  who  lived  at  some 
distance.  Two  members  of  the  church  were  deputed  to 
obtain  the  needful  signature,  and  before  they  started  on 
their  journey  they  knelt  down  and  prayed  that  God 
would  further  them  in  the  work  they  had  in  hand.  On 
arriving  at  this  gentleman's  house  and  stating  their 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  257 

business^  he  informed  them  that  he  never  did  anything 
of  that  kind  without  the  advice  of  a  friend^  who  lived  at 
a  considerable  distance.  In  vain  they  urged  him,  he 
absolutely  refused.  At  length  they  rose  to  take  their 
departure,,  but  on  being  pressed  to  remain  to  dinner, 
stayed.  While  at  dinner  a  horseman  rode  up  to  the 
door — it  was  the  very  person  whose  advice  was  required, 
and  who  said  that  he  had  been  several  miles  on  his  way 
in  another  direction,  but  had  felt  constrained  to  turn  and 
come  and  see  his  friend.  The  case  was  immediately  laid 
before  him,  his  consent  obtained,  and  the  document 
signed,  just  in  time  to  disappoint  the  contentious  man, 
T7ho  arrived  immediately  after." 

Or  take  the  case  of  the  Cree  Indian  in  Rupert's  land, 
who  told  his  story  to  one  of  our  native  catechists.  The 
man  and  his  family  were  in  their  wanderings  exposed  on 
one  occasion  to  a  fearful  fire,  which  was  running  across 
the  dry  prairie  with  great  violence  and  speed ;  it  was 
burning  all  around  fearfully,  and  there  appeared  no  way 
of  escape.  Suddenly  he  remembered  what  Pratt  had 
told  him,  of  the  one  great  God  over  all :  and  while  his 
family  were  crying,  and  clinging  to  him,  he  fell  upon  his 
knees  and  said,  "  O  Thou  great  One,  who  art  above  all, 
whoever  Thou  art,  save  me  from  this  fire ; "  and  ere  the 
fire  touched  him,  or  any  one  of  them,  there  fell  upon  it 
such  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  as  totally  extinguished  it. 
In  consequence  of  this,  that  individual  now  denies  the 
Indians'  gods,  and  acknowledges  none  but  One. 

One  of  the  missionary  periodicals  furnishes  us  with 
the  following  simple  story  of  a  definite  request  and  a 
definite  answer,  and  though  the  request  was  small  it  was 
definite,  and  its  apparent  unimportance  adds  to  its  value, 

z  2 


258  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

for  if  we  may  be  definite  in  that  whicli  is  least,  how 
much  more  in  that  which  is  greatest. 

^'  A  poor  servant  girl  was  very  anxious  to  do  something 
for  the  missionary  cause.  She  gave  what  she  could 
herself,  but  that  did  not  satisfy  her.  She  was  lirag  in 
a  rich  family,  who  she  knew,  could  give  plenty  if  they 
chose.  So  she  got  a  missionary  box,  and  placed  it  on 
the  kitchen  dresser,  and  then  prayed  to  God  to  bring  it 
about  so  that  it  should  find  its  way  upstairs.  She  asked 
advice  of  the  living  Lord  of  the  mine.  One  day,  the 
pet  of  the  house,  little  Amy,  happened  to  come  into  the 
kitchen  with  a  message,  and  she  saw  the  box,  and  begged 
to  have  it  to  play  with.  Poor  Peggy  had  her  thoughts ; 
but  she  did  not  say  anything  except  ^  O  yes,  Miss  Amy, 
to  be  sure  you  may,  and  keep  it  as  long  as  you  like.' 
Half  an  hour  after  the  bell  rang,  and  Peggy  was  called 
upstairs;  and  there  she  found  her  master  and  mistress, 
and  the  young  gentlemen,  and  the  young  ladies,  crowding 
around  the  box,  and  she  was  asked  what  it  was.  She 
told  them,  with  many  blushes  and  curtsies,  that  it  was 
for  '  the  missionaries  who  taught  the  blacks,'  and  that 
she  put  her  spare  money  into  it.  They  all  seemed 
pleased,  and  begged  to  be  allowed  to  put  their  spare 
money  into  it  too.  So  the  little  green  box  was  promoted 
from  the  kitchen  dresser  to  the  white  marble  mantlepiece 
in  the  drawing  room ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  it  was 
sent  down  to  Peggy  with  a  thick  penny  sticking  out  of 
its  mouth — it  was  so  brim  full." 

There  is  a  very  interesting  instance  of  this  definite- 
ness  both  in  the  petition  and  the  answer  given  us  in  a 
work  entitled,  "  The  Ladies  of  the  Covenant.'*  We  are 
told  that,  "  On  the  forenoon  of  the  day  on  which  he  (the 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  259 

Marquis  of  Argyll)  was  to  be  executed,  slie  (the 
Marchioness)  and  Mr.  John  Carstairs  were  employed  in 
wrestling  with  God_,  in  his  behalf,  in  a  chamber  in  the 
Canongate,  earnestly  pleading  that  the  Lord  would  now 
seal  his  charter  by  saying  to  him,  'Son,  be  of  good 
cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee !  '^  It  is  a  striking 
circumstance  that,  at  the  very  time  of  their  being  thus 
employed,  the  Marquis,  while  engaged  in  settling  some 
worldly  affaii's,  a  number  of  persons  of  quality  being 
present  with  him,  was  visited  in  his  soul  with  such  a 
sense  of  the  divine  favour,  as  almost  overpowered  him ; 
and,  after  in  vain  attempting  to  conceal  his  emotions  by 
going  to  the  fire  and  beginning  to  stir  it  with  the  tongs, 
he  turned  about,  and  melting  into  tears  exclaimed,  '  I 
see  this  will  not  do ;  I  must  now  declare  what  the  Lord 
has  done  for  my  soul !  He  has  just  now,  at  this  very 
instant  of  time,  sealed  my  charter  in  these  words,  '  Son, 
be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee ! '  This  com- 
fortable state  of  mind  he  retained  to  the  last,  and  to  this 
scene  he  alluded  in  his  dying  speech  on  the  scaffold. 
Can  it  be  doubted  that  the  bestowment  of  the  very 
blessing,  prayed  for  by  this  devout  lady  and  that  godly 
minister,  to  the  dying  martyr,  at  the  very  instant  in 
which  it  was  sought,  was  a  signal  answer  to  their  be- 
lieving prayers  ? '' 

A  lady  lay  upon  her  bed  suffering  violent  pain  in  the 
head,  and  while  thus  suffering,  she  said  to  a  friend,  who 
was  watching  by  her  side,  '^'if  only  I  could  get  ten 
minutes  sleep  I  should  feel  better/^  The  friend  said 
nothing,  but  offered  up  a  silent  prayer  to  God  to  grant 
the  ten  minutes  sleep.  True  !  the  petition  was  feeble 
and  the  faith  feeble,  but  the  Lord,  who  is  very  tender. 


260  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

did  not  despise  either  the  feebleness  of  the  faith_,  or  the 
smallness  of  the  subject  of  the  request.  The  patient 
immediately  slept,  and  described  her  sleep  as  most 
delicious,  that  she  had  "the  sensation  of  having  been 
fanned  off  to  sleep.'' 

Simeon  gives  us  an  account  of  a  definite  answer  which 
he  received  to  a  definite  prayer,  when  he  was  in  great 
trial. 

"  Many  years  ago/'  says  he,  "  when  I  was  an  object 
of  much  contempt  and  derision  in  this  university,  I 
strolled  forth  one  day,  buffeted  and  afflicted,  with  my 
little  Testament  in  my  hand ;  I  prayed  earnestly  to  my 
God,  that  He  would  comfort  me  with  some  cordial  from 
His  word,  and  that  on  opening  the  book  I  might  find 
some  text  which  should  sustain  me.  It  was  not  for  di- 
rection that  I  was  looking,  for  I  am  no  friend  to  such 
superstitions  as  the  sortes  virgilianoe,  but  only  for  support. 
I  thought  I  would  turn  to  the  epistles,  where  I  should 
most  easily  find  some  precious  promise ;  but  my  book 
was  upside  down,  so  without  intending  it  I  opened  on  the 
gospels.  The  first  text  which  caught  my  eye  was  this, 
'  They  found  a  man  of  Cyrene,  Simon  by  name ;  him 
they  compelled  to  bear  His  cross.'  You  know  Simon  is 
the  same  name  as  Simeon.  What  a  word  of  instruction 
was  here,  what  a  blessed  hint  for  my  encouragement ! 
To  have  the  cross  laid  upon  me,  that  I  might  bear  it 
after  Jesus  !  what  a  privilege  !  It  was  enough.  Now  I 
could  leap  and  sing  for  joy,  as  one  whom  Jesus  was 
honouring  with  a  participation  in  His  sufferings."  Re- 
lating this  on  another  occasion,  Mr.  Simeon  added  : — 
"And  when  I  read  that,  I  said,  ^Lord,  lay  it  on  me;  I 
will  gladly  bear  the  cross  for  Thy  sake.'     And  I  hence- 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  261 

forth  bound  persecution  as  a  wreath  of  glory  round  my 
brow ! " 

A  friend  some  time  since  furnished  me  with  the 
following  instance  from  his  own  knowledge.  He  gives 
two  instances  in  his  letter,  one  of  which  will  here 
suffice. 

"  The  first  occurred  to  a  person  now  living,  with  whom 
I  was  formerly  intimately  acquainted.  He  was  from 
early  life  a  sedulous  reader  of  the  Bible,  and  having 
married  a  person  of  similar  religious  feeling,  their  store 
of  biblical  information  became  considerable,  and  the 
husband,  to  whom  I  allude,  subsequently  became  a  writer 

on  prophecy,  and  published  a  work,  called  ^ .' 

In  his  career  of  mercantile  life,  his  whole  property  was  in- 
volved in  the  speculations  of  his  partner,  and  he  was  reduced 
at  once  to  very  severe  want,  and  his  wife  not  choosing  to 
deprive  the  creditors  of  anything  which  they  mutually 
possessed,  determined  to  submit  her  marriage  jointure, 
(which  was  considerable,)  to  the  general  wreck.  In  the 
midst  of  their  distressing  indigence,  they  still  spent 
many  hours  in  reading  their  Bible  and  in  prayer,  both 
by  day  and  night.  During  this  period  of  gloom,  which 
would  have  thrown  many  into  despair,  he  still  entertained 
views  of  hope,  that  God  would  open  to  him  a  way  of 
escape.  His  main  anxiety  was  the  immediate  necessities 
of  a  young  family,  whom  he  sustained,  as  well  as  he 
could,  by  depriving  himself.  His  clothes  became  bad, 
and  his  shoes  were  so  worn,  that  his  feet  were  exposed 
to  the  ground.  He  was  desirous  to  supply  himself  with  a 
single  pair,  and  had  enquired  their  price,  which  was  stated 
to  be  nine  shillings  and  sixpence.  This  he  made  the  sub- 
ject of  special  prayer,  but  determined  not  to  buy  them 


2G2  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

till  he  had  the  money  in  his  possession.  But  whence  it  was 
to  come^  he  had  no  idea.  In  due  time_,  he  was  walking 
along  the  streets  in  Leeds,  where  he  was  then  living,  and 
finding  that  he  struck  something  with  his  foot  which 
bounded  before  him,  he  was  induced  to  pick  it  up.  It 
was  a  small  cotton  bag,  like  a  child^s  purse,  which  he 
opened,  and  found  in  it  the  precise  sum,  which  for  some 
time  had  been  the  subject  of  his  special  petitions.  He 
was  greatly  struck  with  the  coincidence.  But  thinking 
an  owner  might  be  found  for  it,  he  employed  the  crier, 
and  went  and  reported  the  circumstance  at  the  police 
station.  But  no  one  coming  forward  as  a  claimant, 
after  waiting  some  time,  he  devoted  his  God-send,  as  he 
considered  it,  to  the  purchase  of  his  much  needed 
shoes." 

A  converted  Jew  who  had  suffered  fearfully  for  con- 
science sake,  narrates  the  following  instance'  of  special 
help  vouchsafed  to  him  after  special  prayer.  ''  Here 
again,"  he  says,  *'  we  were  met  by  the  goodness  of  God, 
exercised  to  us  through  your  instrumentality.  Permit 
me  to  call  to  your  remembrance  your  having  forwarded 
to  us  at  this  time  a  hamper,  containing  the  contributions 
of  your  household,  thus  supplying  us  with  the  food 
needed,  in  a  way  which  we  had  not  anticipated.  I  must 
also  mention  another  fact  connected  with  this  circum- 
stance, which  much  affected  me.  Although  you  had 
kindly  supplied  us  with  provisions,  still  we  were  without 
money,  and  we  were  in  great  want  of  a  small  sum,  which 
we  did  not  possess,  and  the  next  day  being  Sunday,  we 
had  neither  means  nor  opportunity  to  seek  for  it.  In 
this  extremity  we  applied  to  Him  who  had  so  frequently 
helped  us  through  the  wilderness,  and  never  shall  the 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  2C3 

needy  apply  to  Him  in  vain.  In  a  singular  way  relief 
came  to  our  hands.  As  it  was  Saturday,  my  wife  was 
putting  our  house  in  order,  cleaning  every  part,  and 
whilst  so  doing,  she  thought  she  discovered  amidst  the 
sweepings  of  the  room  something  folded  up  in  a  piece  of 
paper.  She  picked  it  up  and  opened  it,  and  what  was 
her  surprise  when  she  found  it  contained  the  exact  sum 
we  needed.  We  immediately  concluded  that  in  unpack- 
ing your  hamper  we  had  overlooked  this  little  paper, 
which  had  dropped  out  of  one  of  the  parcels  in  which 
you  had  enclosed  it.  Joy  and  gratitude  filled  our  hearts. 
We  could  not  but  observe  how  remarkably  the  Lord  had 
timed  this  relief.  Had  we  discovered  it  before,  we  should 
not  have  felt  half  so  thankful,  but  having  been  made  to 
feel  our  necessity,  and  then  having  gone  to  the  Lord  to 
ask  for  help,  we  received  it  more  immediately  as  a  gift 
from  Him.  In  a  few  moments  it  might  have  been  swept 
away  in  the  dust."^ 

Let  us  now  turn  to,  the  grounds  and  Scripture  warrants 
for  Expectation  in  Prayer. 

We  have  many  statements  in  Holy  Scripture  which 

*  "  Who  else  was  it  but  the  God  of  Elijah,  who,  only  a  short  time 
ago,  so  kindly  delivered  a  poor  man  out  of  his  distress,  not  indeed 
by  a  raven,  but  by  a  poor  singing  bird  ?  The  man  was  sitting 
early  in  the  morning  at  his  house  door.  His  eyes  were  red  with 
weeping,  and  his  heart  cried  to  heaven,  for  he  was  expecting  an 
oiiicer  to  come  and  distrain  him  for  a  small  debt.  Whilst  sitting 
thus  with  a  heavy  heart,  a  little  bird  flew  over  his  head  into  the 
cottage,  and  perched  itself  within  an  empty  cupboard.  The  poor 
man  closed  the  door,  caught  the  bird,  and  placed  it  in  a  cage, 
where  it  soon  began  to  sing  very  sweetly,  and  it  seemed  to  the 
man  as  if  it  were  the  tune  of  a  favorite  hymn,  'Fear  thou  not 


264  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

afford  good  ground  for  Expectation  in  Prayer.  The 
following  will  suffice  for  our  present  purpose. 

"What  things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray,  be- 
lieve that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them.'' 
Mark  xi,  24. 

"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you.''     Matt,  vii,  7. 

"  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  My  name,  that  will  I 
do."     John  xiv,  13. 

"  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ye 
shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you.'' 
John  XV,  7. 

'^  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that 
giveth  to  all  men  liberally  and  upbraideth  not ;  and  it 
shall  be  given  him.  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
wavering."     James  i,  5,  6. 

"  If  ye  have  faith,  and  doubt  not,  ye  shall  not  only  do 
this  which  is  done  to  the  fig-tree,  but  also,  if  ye  shall  say 
unto  this  mountain.  Be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast 
iato  the  sea ;  it  shall  be  done.  And  all  things,  whatso- 
ever ye  shall  ask  in  prayer  believing,  ye  shall  receive." 
Matt,  xxi,  21,  22. 

when  darkness  reigns ;'  and  as  he  listened  to  it,  he  found  it  soothe 
and  comfort  his  mind.  Suddenly  some  one  knocked  at  the  door ; 
but  instead  of  the  officer,  whom  the  poor  man  so  much  dreaded,  it 
was  the  servant  of  a  respectable  lady,  who  said  that  the  neigh- 
bours had  seen  a  bird  fly  into  his  house,  and  wished  to  know  if  he 
had  caught  it-  '  Oh,  yes,'  replied  the  man,  '  here  it  is ; '  and  the 
bird  was  carried  away.  A  few  minutes  after,  she  came  back  and 
said,  '  you  have  done  my  mistress  a  great  service ;  she  sets  a  high 
value  upon  the  bird  that  had  escaped.  She  is  much  obliged  to 
}ou,  and  requests  you  to  accept  this  trifle,  with  her  thanks.'  The 
poor  man  received  it  thankfully,  and  it  proved  to  be  neither  more 
nor  less  than  the  sum  he  owed !  " — From  Krtimmacher's  Elijahs 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  265 

All  these  give  us  warrant  for  strong  expectation ;  so 
also  does  sanctified  reasoning  upon  the  character  and 
attributes  of  God. 

If  we  reason  on  God^s  character,  how  can  we  but  trust 
that  He  will  answer  our  prayer  ?  We  know  He  is  true ; 
we  have  read  His  promises ;  we  believe  that  He  will  be 
as  good  as  His  word ;  His  very  character  is  a  guarantee 
on  which  we  can  rest. 

Is  He  not  also  loving ;  does  He  not  care  for  the  true 
interests  of  His  children;  does  He  not  wish  them  to 
have  everything  that  is  good  for  them ;  is  not  His  hearths 
affection  set  upon  them ;  if  so,  have  they  not  a  warrant 
for  expectation  from  the  existence  of  this  feeling  in  God  ? 
The  consciousness  of  another^ s  love  emboldens  us  to  ask 
from  those  on  earth ;  how  much  more  sho^dd  it  from  the 
One  in  heaven  !  Never  was  love  so  true,  so  steady,  so 
large  and  ungrudging  as  His;  He  is  our  Father,  and 
we,  if  in  Christ,  are  His  children;  and  we  should  expect 
from  His  love,  just  as  a  child  expects  from  its  parent's 
love. 

Is  He  not  also  omnipotent ;  has  He  not  all  resources 
at  His  command ;  are  not  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest 
His,  and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills ;  can  He  not 
"  make  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  Him,''  and  should  not  all  these  considerations 
strengthen  our  expectations  in  prayer?  We  have  to 
limit  our  expectations  from  our  fellow-men  by  their  re- 
sources ;  they  may  be  willing,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  help 
us ;  they  may  be  able  to  do  a  part  of  what  we  want,  but 
not  the  whole ;  there  should  however  be  no  limit  in  or.r 
expectations  from  God;  we  should  look  at  Him  in 
wayer  as  able  to  do  aU  we  want,  and  to  do  it  with  the 

A  A 


266  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

greatest  ease.  If  I  want  money  for  His  cause,"^  or  my 
own  need,  I  think  '^  He  owns  every  guinea  in  the  world.-*' 
As  I  walk  along  the  road,  I  say  "  He  can  turn  the  very 
stones  into  gold,  if  he  will,  He  can  make  the  dust  on  the 
road  side  gold  dust ;  "   I  look  up  at  the  sky,  and  there  I 

*  It  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  that  we  should  simply  look 
to  God  as  the  great  and  original  proprietor  of  all  wealth,  without 
allowing  om-selves  to  be  influenced  by  the  possibilities  of  things. 
The  author  had  need  of  £10  for  a  specific  work  which  he  proposed 
to  undertake  for  God ;  he  committed  the  matter  to  God  in  prayer, 
and  said  that  he  would  consider  the  Lord's  sending  the  money  as 
the  token  that  the  enterprize  was  to  be  undertaken.  Unless 
the  money  came  within  a  limited  time,  the  occasion  for  its  ex- 
penditure would  have  passed  away.  Day  after  day  the  matter 
was  laid  before  God,  but  the  money  did  not  come.  At  last, 
one  Saturday,  a  stranger  called,  and  took  five  sovereigns  out 
of  his  pocket,  and  gave  it  to  the  author  to  spend  in  charity.  The 
latter  asked  him  "  to  what  he  wished  it  applied  ?"  He  answered, 
"  to  anything  you  like  :"  "  have  you  no  object  particularly  in 
view  to  which  you  wish  it  given  ?"  "  No,  you  are  to  spend  it  any 
way  you  like."  He  was  then  told  of  the  enterprize  in  hand,  and 
how  the  Lord  had  been  asked  to  put  money  at  the  minister's 
own  disposal,  with  a  view  to  its  being  spent  in  that  particular  way, 
"  "Well,"  said  he,  "I  have  just  come  from  your  church,  and  I  was 
about  to  drop  these  five  sovereigns  into  the  boxes  at  the  doors,  for 
the  new  schools  ;  but  something  said  to  me,  'Don't  do  it,  perhaps 
the  minister  will  want  them  more  for  something  else,'  and  if  you 
don't  get  the  other  £5  anywhere  else,  I'll  give  it  to  you."  The 
author  was  now  anxious  that  it  would  please  God  to  send  him  thf 
£5  from  some  other  quarter,  so  that  the  giver  of  the  first  £5  should 
feel  that  he  was  not  as  it  were  come  down  upon  for  the  whole 
sum,  and  that  he  might  not  think  that  the  Most  High  was  limited 
in  His  resources  ;  and  it  was  put  before  the  Lord  in  this  way — 
"  Lord,  is  it  not  more  for  Thy  honour  and  glory  that  this  other  £o 
should  come  from  some  other  person  ?"  This  second  £5  also,  was 
sent  by  post,  a  few  days  after,  from  a  very  unexpected  quarter. 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  267 

see  white  fleecy  clouds,  or  clouds  like  heaps  of  glowing 
gold,  and  I  say,  "  if  He  willed,  He  could  turn  that  fleecy 
cloud  into  bank  notes,  and  tear  from  it  a  thousand 
for  me;  He  could  turn  that  glowing  mass  of  vapour, 
into  solid  metal,  and  break  off  a  piece  for  me,  which 
would  be  a  thousand-fold  more  than  I  require." 

He  has  a  great  treasury ;  and  with  my  mind's  eye  I 
contemplate  that  treasury,  and  I  say  to  Him,  "  Put  thine 
hand  into  Thy  treasury,  O  Lord ;  take  from  it  what  I 
need;  give  it  unto  me,"  and  then  expectation  rises 
under  such  considerations  as  these. 

Is  not  God  generous ;  does  not  He  love  to  give ;  is  He 
not  always  giving ;  did  He  not  give  up  His  only  Son  to 
die  for  us,  and  "  how  shall  He  not  with  Him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things  ?  "  Hear  what  He  says  to  the  Jews  by 
the  mouth  of  His  prophet  Malachi,  (iii,  10,)  "  Bring  ye 
all  the  tithes  into  the  store-house  that  there  may  be  meat 
in  mine  house,  and  prove  me  now  herewith,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  if  I  will  not  open  you  the  windows  of 
heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing,  that  there  shall  not 
be  room  enough  to  receive  it."  When  Jesus  fed  the 
thousands,  the  fragments  exceeded  the  original  provision ; 
when  bread  was  rained  from  heaven  upon  the  multitudes 
in  the  wilderness,  it  feU  in  profusion,  so  that  there  was 
abundance  for  all ;  when  Hannah  asked  for  one  son,  she 
received  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  epistles  are 
full  of  the  generosity  of  God ;  we  read  of  "  the  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weight  of  glory,"^  and  of  "  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  His  power,"t  and  of  '^  the  exceeding  riches  of 
His  grace," t  and  of  "the  grace  of  the  Lord  exceeding 

♦  2  Cor.  iv,  17.    f  Eph.  i,  19.     |  Eph.  ii,  7. 


268  EXPECTATIOIV    IN    PRAYER. 

abundant/'"'^  and  of  "exceeding  great  promises/^f 
"Now,"  says  the  apostle,  after  he  had  spoken  of  the 
wondrous  extent  of  the  love  of  Christ,  "  unto  Him  that 
is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask 
or  think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us ; 
unto  Him  be  glory  in  the  church,  by  Christ  Jesus, 
throughout  all  ages,  world  without  end.  Amen.^'  Eph. 
iii,  20,  21. 

It  would  greatly  help  our  expectation  in  prayer,  if  we 
called  all  these  attributes  of  God  to  mind,  and  meditated 
on  His  character  in  connection  with  our  need ;  if,  when 
we  were  engaged  in  any  hard  matter,  or  when  our  faith 
began  to  stagger,  we  exercised  ourselves  for  a  few  minutes 
in  such  thoughts  as  a  preliminary  to  prayer.  If  we  did 
this,  in  all  probability  our  faith  would  rise,  our  expecta- 
tion would  strengthen,  and  an  earnestness  and  reality 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  wanting,  would  enter 
into  our  prayer.  Try  this,  dear  reader ;  it  wiU  not  be 
without  good  effect. 

Let  us  now  consider.  The  Results  of  Expectation  in 
Prayer. 

One  result  will  be,  more  precision  of  meaning  in  our 
prayers.  Many  prayers  are  offered,  with,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
but  little  precision  of  meaning;  in  fact  with  so  little 
meaning,  that  the  petitioner  would  be  in  no  small  degree 
astonished,  if  he  were  taken  at  his  word  in  prayer ;  per- 
haps, if  God  were  to  say  to  him,  "  I  will  grant  that  fully,'' 
he  would  be  inclined  to  start  back,  and  not  repeat  the 
prayer  again. 

There  are  many  things  which  we  think  we  ought  to 
*  1  Tim.  i.  14.      +  2  Peter  i,  4. 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  269 

pray  for,  which  our  spiritual  knowledge  tells  us  a  Christian 
should  desire;  but  do  we  really  desire  them,  are  we 
really  anxious  to  get  them,  when  we  ask  for  them  in 
prayer  ?  For  example,  we  pray  that  God  would  by  His 
Spirit  reveal  more  and  more  to  us  the  naughtiness  of  our 
own  hearts  and  evil  natures;  is  the  petitioner  really 
desirous  of  an  answer ;  is  he  ready  for  disquieted  hours_, 
for  humbling  experiences,  for  deep  depressions,  for  more 
self-loathing  than  he  has  ever  experienced  as  yet  ?  Or, 
he  may  ask  for  higher  exaltation  above  the  world,  and  its 
pursuits,  and  aims,  and  interests ;  he  knows  that  that  is 
a  very  fitting  prayer  for  a  true  hearted  Christian  man  to 
make ;  but  is  he  really  anxious  that  God  should  in  His 
own  way  grant  the  thing  that  He  desires  ?  It  is  useless 
to  pray  with  the  expectation  of  being  answered  in  the 
way,  or  by  the  process  we  desire ;  if  we  pray,  we  must  ^ 
leave  the  method  of  the  answer  entirely  with  God ;  and 
when  we  offer  a  prayer  like  this,  do  we  really  mean  that 
God  should  answer  it,  and  do  what  we  have  asked  ? 

If  we  have  learaed  to  expect  in  prayer^  to  believe  that 
an  answer  will  really  come  in  the  very  point  in  which 
supplication  has  been  made,  we  shall  surely  be  precise  in 
what  we  say  to  God.  If  I  have  learned  from  experience 
to  expect  an  answer  to  prayer,  then  if  I  want  money  for 
the  Lord's  cause,  or  even  for  my  own  necessities,  what  I 
am  to  ask  for  is  money ;  if  I  am  going  a  journey  and 
ask  for  divine  protection,  then  what  I  am  to  expect  is^ 
that  God  wiU  give  His  angels  charge  over  me,  and  that 
they  wiU  take  care  of  my  body,  and  that  accidents  which 
were  perhaps  imminent  wiU  be  averted,  and  obstacles 
cleared  out  of  my  path ;  these  will  serve  as  examples  of 
precision  and  meaning  in  prayer. 

A  A  2 


270  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

And  wliy  should  we  not  be  precise  in  prayer?  We 
are  precise  in  our  dealings  with  our  fellow  men ;  no  one 
thinks  of  going  to  another  with  merely  a  vague  petition 
to  give  him  something ;  or  with  a  string  of  meaningless 
petitions,  to  give  him  things  which  he  does  not  want,  or 
which  he  does  not  care  to  have ;  this  want  of  precision 
would  destroy  all  reality  in  the  petitioner's  supplications, 
and  would  pretty  surely  be  the  means  of  sending  him 
empty  away;  oh,  let  us  not  deal  with  God  with  less 
earnestness,  and  reality,  than  we  employ  with  our  fellow 
man ;  when  we  pray  to  Him  let  us  at  least  mean  what 
we  say.  And  we  shall  thus  mean,  if  we  expect ;  and 
thus  meaning,  and  expecting,  our  prayers  will  be  real, 
and  solid,  and  precise ;  they  will  be  divested  of  many 
unmeaning  words,  and  their  very  plainness  will  add 
to  their  intensity,  and  plain  answers  will  be  sure  to 
come  to  such  plain  prayers.  Dear  reader,  if  you  have 
not  hitherto  been  precise  in  your  prayer,  begin  to  be 
so  now;  you  will  find  incalculable  advantage  from 
being  so;  offer  no  prayer,  in  which  you  are  not  both 
willing  and  desirous  that  God  should  take  you  at 
your  word. 

Another  good  result  of  this  expectation  in  prayer, 
will  be  a  greater  readiness  to  pray.  If  we  think  that 
God  will  grant  our  petitions,  we  shall  assuredly  be  all 
the  more  ready  to  come  and  make  them.  "VVe  are  very 
ivjth  to  go  and  ask  a  favour,  where  we  think  we  are  likely 
to  be  denied ;  we  have  not  the  heart  to  go  and  make  our 
petition  ;  but  if  we  really  expect  from  God,  we  shall  be 
very  ready  to  come,  and  ask  for  what  we  want.  Prayer, 
when  thus  looked  at,  is  too  productive  to  be  allowed  to 
remain  unused ;    we  shall  be  quick  to  ask,  when  we  are 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER,  271 

sure  to  get.  One  cause  of  backwardness  in  prayer  is  our 
doubt  and  uncertainty,  if  not  our  actual  unbelief,  about 
getting  an  answer ;  tliese  take  away  our  cbeerfulness  and 
readiness  in  prayer,  and  make  it  hard  labour  instead  of 
blessed  privilege. 

A  further  good  result  will  be  less  expectation  from, 
and  leaning  on  man,  seeing  we  have  the  Everlasting  God 
Himself  to  go  to.  Man  has  always  been  a  snare  to  his 
fellow  man,  leading  him  to  trust  in  human  flesh,  instead 
of  in  the  living  God.  Israel  leaning  upon  Egypt  is  a 
picture  that  is  reproduced  every  day.  We  have  a 
beautiful  instance  of  simple  leaning  upon  God  and 
turning  away  from  man,  together  with  expectation  from 
God  in  prayer,  in  the  book  of  Ezra.  "  Then  I  proclaimed 
a  fast  there,  at  the  river  Ahava,  that  we  might  afflict 
ourselves  before  our  God,  to  seek  of  Him  a  right  way 
for  us,  and  for  our  little  ones,  and  for  all  our  substance. 
For  I  was  ashamed  to  require  of  the  king  a  band  of 
soldiers  and  horsemen  to  help  us  against  the  enemy  in 
the  way,  because  we  had  spoken  unto  the  king,  saying, 
'the  hand  of  our  God  is  upon  all  them  for  good  that 
seek  Him,  but  His  power  and  His  wrath  is  against  all 
them  that  forsake  Him.^  So  we  fasted  and  besought 
our  God  for  this,  and  He  was  intreated  of  us."  An 
immense  treasure  was  now  put  into  the  hands  of  a 
helpless  company  of  priests  to  convey  to  Jerusalem,  their 
only  protection  being  the  prayer  ofiered  on  their  behalf; 
but  that  prayer  was  sufficient  safeguard,  not  an  ounce 
of  gold  or  silver  was  lost.  "  Then  we  departed  from 
the  river  of  Ahava,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  the  first  month, 
to  go  unto  Jerusalem ;  and  the  hand  of  our  God  was 
upon  us,  and  He  delivered  us  from  the  hand  of  the 


272  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

enemy,  and  of  such  as  lay  in  wait  by  the  way."  Ezra 
viii,  21,  22,  23,  31. 

To  ean  on  man  is  to  lean  upon  a  broken  reed,  it  is  to 
throw  ourselves  in  the  way  of  disappointment,  and  in 
most  instances  it  is  to  dishonour  God.  Why  need  we 
thus  lean,  if  we  be  really  expecting  what  we  want  from 
God ;  why  should  we  subject  ourselves  to  vexations  and 
distress ;  why  should  we  consider  our  circumstances  bad 
when  men  fail  us;  why  should  we  be  dependent  upon 
them  at  all  ?  One  of  the  best  cures  that  we  can  possibly 
have  for  all  this,  is  to  expect  answers  to  our  prayers  to 
God,  to  tell  Him  of  our  need,  and  then  to  expect  from 
Him,  as  one  both  able  and  willing  to  supply  our  wants. 

A  spirit  of  expectation  in  prayer  would  further  make 
our  minds  much  more  cheerful  after  our  prayer  has  been 
offered  up.  We  should  then  have  rolled  off  our  pressing 
care  on  God,  and  be  proportionately  unburdened  in  our 
own  minds. 

The  very  fact  of  having  committed  a  trouble  to  God 
ought  to  give  us  cheerfulness  and  peace ;  we  may  now,  if 
we  have  an  expecting  spirit,  say,  "  my  God  will  take  this 
matter  in  hand,  and  arrange  everything  for  me  for  the 
best;  He  will  bring  His  resources  and  His  wisdom  to 
bear  on  my  behalf;  my  care  is  cast  on  Him."  How  often, 
however,  are  we  as  sad  after  prayer  as  we  were 
before  we  went  to  commit  our  troubles  to  the  Lord ;  we 
took  our  burden  to  the  throne,  and  brought  it  away  with 
us  again  ;  if  we  laid  any,  we  laid  only  a  part  on  God.  A 
certain  man  carrying  a  burden  on  his  back  was  met  by  a 
rich  man  as  he  drove  along,  and  invited  to  get  up  behind 
the  carriage,  which  offer  was  thankfully  accepted.  After 
a  while  the  rich  man  turned  round^  and  saw  the  burden 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  273 

still  strapped  to  the  traveller's  back;  he  asked  him  why- 
he  did  not  lay  down  his  pack  on  the  seat  beside  him? 
but  he  answered^  '^  he  could  not  think  of  doing  that ;  it 
was  quite  enough  that  he  himself  should  be  allowed  to  sit 
behind  the  carriage^  without  putting  his  burden  on  the 
seat  also."  This  is  what  many  amongst  us  are  doing; 
we  keep  our  burden  strapped  tightly  to  us ;  we  expect  at 
the  best  but  some  relief;  we  think  it  too  much  to  expect 
God  to  bear  it  all. 

A  certain  man  with  small  means,,  and  a  large  family^ 
struggled  on  year  after  year ;  and  as  each  child  was  born, 
he  felt  a  fresh  load  of  care  come  upon  his  shoulders.  At 
length  when  the  eighth  was  born,  he  felt  that  the  weight 
of  their  provision  was  a  burden  heavier  than  he  could 
bear,  let  him  toil  never  so  hard ;  so  he  deliberately  handed 
them  all  over  to  God,  and  henceforth  became  a  cheerful 
and  prosperous  man. 

Surely  if  we  rise  from  our  knees  without  some  sense 
of  relief,  and  some  lightening  of  heart,  we  cannot  have  / 
had  an  expecting  spirit  in  prayer. 

Go  up,  then.  Christian  reader,  to  your  closet,  with 
tears  in  your  eyes,  but  come  forth  from  it  without  them, 
having  wiped  them  away  as  you  rose  from  your  knees ; 
go  up  with  a  heavy  tread,  bearing  almost  a  mountain  of 
care  upon  your  heart,  but  come  down  with  a  lighter,  if 
not  with  an  elastic  step,  expecting  that  God  has  heard 
your  prayer,  and  will  answer  it  without  fail ;  you  may 
not  be  able  to  feel  joyous,  but  surely  you  may  feel  cheer- 
ful, and  you  will  be  cheerful,  if  you  practically  expect 
an  answer,  if  you  believe  that  one  will  come. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  thought  by  some,  Will  not  such 
feelings  as  these  take  away  a  man's  energy  in  the  use  of 


374  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

means?     Far  from  it.     We  note  as  a  further  result  of 
expectation  in  prayer,  that  it  will  give  more  energy  in  the 
use  of  means.     The  Christian  is  no  wild  enthusiast ;  he 
knows  that  while  God  can  work  without  means,,  He  yet 
in  almost  all  instances  works  by  them.     It  is  very  sel- 
dom also  that   the   means   are   not   plainly   indicated; 
we  may  pray  that  they  should  be  so,  and  when  we  have 
thus  prayed,  and  they  are  opened  out,  then  in  the  expecta- 
tion of  a  blessing  we  shall  work  with  redoubled  energy  and 
zeal.     The  probability  is,  that  our  very  expectation  will 
give  us  such  a  spring  of  energy,  as  will  produce  with 
God^s  blessing  the  desired  result.     We  know  that  there 
is  great  difference  in  the  work  of  a  spirited  and  a  spirit- 
less man.     A  man  who  feels  that  he  has  no  chance  of 
success,  or  that  the  chances  are  largely  against  him,  has 
little  heart  for  his  work ;  difficulties  easily  daunt  him ; 
opportunities  which  open  out  before  him,  he  does  not  avail 
himself  of;  the  very  elements  of  success  are  wanting. 
But  let  the  same  man,  and  in  the  very  same  position, 
have  a  fair  prospect  of  success ;  let  him  feel  that  he  can 
succeed ;  let  him  have  a  still  stronger  feeling  that  he  is 
destined  to  succeed,  and  he  now  appears  a  very  different 
man  from  what  he  was  before ;  he  is  alive  in  his  work, 
he  is  hearty  in  it,  and  that  very  life  and  heartiness  go  far 
towards  securing  success.  When  Alexander  was  givingaway 
estates  and  domains  with  lavish  prodigality,  before  setting 
forth  on  his  eastward  march,  Perdiccas  asked  him  what 
he  reserved  for  himself.    Hope — was  the  sole  reply.  And 
the  whole  secret  of  his  wondrous  career   of  insatiable 
conquest,  fearless  intrepidity,  and  boundless  aspiration, 
lies  wrapped  up  in  that  sublime  answer. 

Dear  Christian  reader,  not  only  pray,  but  also  expect 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYEH.  275 

an  answer  to  your  prayer ;  take  up  the  Psalmist^ s  "  I 
will/^  and  say,  "  As  for  me  I  will  call  upon  God,  and  the 
Lord  shall  save  me.  Evening,  and  morning,  and  at 
noon,  will  I  pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my 
voice/^ 

He,  however,  who  says  with  the  Psalmist,  "  I  will  call 
upon  God,  and  the  Lord  shall  save  me,^^  must  not  only 
believe  that  an  answer  will  come,  but  must  further 
be  on  the  look  out  for  that  answer.  It  might  be  truly 
said,  that  many  a  Chistian  is  taken  unawares  by  the 
answers  to  his  prayers.  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  we  often 
send  forth  our  petitions,  and  think  no  more  about  them, 
as  though  it  were  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  an 
answer  came  or  not,  or  as  though  it  were  a  matter  for 
speculation  whether  our  prayers  were  heard  ?  So  much  is 
this  the  case,  that  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  we  have 
had  many  things  in  answer  to  prayer,  which  we  have  never 
recognised  at  all  as  having  come  in  that  way,  and  for 
which  we  have  never  thanked  God.  If  we  write  to  a 
rich  and  kind  friend  to  help  us  in  some  hour  of  need,  we 
watch  the  post  for  an  answer ;  if  we  invest  money  in  any 
enterprize,  we  look  for  a  return ;  we  will  not  believe  our 
petitions  or  our  hopes  to  be  in  vain,  until  they  are  proved 
to  be  so ;  in  prayer  alone  do  we  act  as  though  from  the 
very  commencement  we  took  it  for  granted  that  they 
must  be  so.  '^The  Rev.  Joseph  Alleine,  writing  from 
Ilchester  prison  to  his  flock  at  Taunton,  says,  '  Let 
prayer  never  be  a  form ;  always  realize  it  as  an  approach 
to  the  living  God  for  some  specific  purpose,  and  learn 
to  watch  for  the  returns  of  prayer.'  A  Sabbath 
school  teacher,  in  the  village  of  Brading,  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  said  to   another  teacher,  'W ,  I  am  quite 


276  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

sure  I  shall  be  made  useful  to-day,  in  the  conversion  of 
some  of  my  boys/  '  Why  V  was  the  reply.  ^  Because/ 
said  he,  '  I  have  had  such  nearness  to  God,  and  have 
been  enabled  to  exercise  faith  in  His  promises.^  That 
praying  Sabbath  school  teacher  came  expecting  an  answer 
to  his  prayers,  and  was  not  disappointed.  Four  of  the 
boys  were  that  day  converted  to  God  through  his  instru- 
mentality; and  for  twenty  years,  those  boys  have  evi- 
denced that  it  was  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  their 
hearts.  Three  of  them  became  preachers  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  fourth  lived  a  very  consistent  private  Christian/^  ^ 

It  is  not  honouring  God,  to  pray,  and  yet  not  look 
out  for  the  answer  to  our  prayers ;  what  could  we  expect 
from  our  fellow  man  if  we  showed  such  carelessness  as 
this?  God  is  greatly  robbed  of  His  glory,  when  He 
gives,  and  when  we  do  not  recognise  what  we  receive  as 
His  gift;  the  display  of  His  attributes  which  unfolded 
themselves  in  His  answer  to  our  prayer  is  thrown  away 
on  us ;  and  can  God  be  robbed  of  His  glory  without  our 
having  to  suffer  chastisement  in  one  form  or  another? 

But  we  must  be  Patient  in  Expectation.  This  subject 
of  "  Patience  in  Expectation^^  is  one  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance. God^s  ways  are  not  as  our  ways,  nor  His 
thoughts  as  our  thoughts,  and  some  answers  to  prayer 
have  to  be  brought  about  by  the  working  of  complicated 
machinery,  event  fitting  into  event,  and  influence  working 
with  influence  for  many  days. 

If  we  be  men  of  prayer,  we  must  expect  our  patience 
to  be  tried  by  many  temptations ;  God  is  honoured  when 
His  people  wait  upon  Him,  and  Satan  will  not  see  them 

*  Phillips's  Remarkable  Answers. 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  277 

waiting  aipon  Him  without  endeavouring  to  shake  their 
faith.  All  attempts  to  hurry  God's  dealings  are  sure  to 
be  productive  of  bad  results;  even  when  we  are  most 
sure  of  having  asked  according  to  God's  mind_,  and  of 
receiving  an  answer_,  we  must  leave  the  time  unreservedly 
to  Him. 

It  is  no  doubt  very  hard  to  expect  in  patience,  when 
all  things  seem  to  be  going  against  us ;  when  week  after 
week,  and  it  may  be  year  after  year  pass  by,  and  the 
answer  appears  no  nearer  at  hand  than  it  was  before; 
but  let  us  remember  that  God  gives  liberal  interest  for 
every  year  that  He  keeps  our  prayers  unanswered ;  and 
that  what  becomes  us,  is  to  wait  at  His  footstool,  and  not 
to  hurry  His  arrangements.  The  most  luscious  fruits 
are  often  those  which  are  longest  in  maturing,  the 
richest  blessings  are  often  those  which  take  longest  in 
coming  ;  an  unripe  blessing  may  prove  sour  to  the  teeth, 
and  unheal thful  when  partaken  of;  impatience  is  almost 
always  accompanied  by  loss. 

We  add  two  or  three  instances  of  answers  given  to 
prayer,  after  apparently  long  delay ;  how  full,  how  rich 
are  they — how  well  worth  waiting  for — how  gradual  in 
their  incoming — how  grand  in  their  results — verily  there 
are  great  answers  for  patient  prayers. 

"  A  mother  had  been  for  years  the  only  Christian  in  the 
family.  Her  husband  and  nine  children  were  not  im- 
moral, but  none  of  them  gave  evidence  of  piety.  Had 
this  mother  been  less  firm  in  character  and  faith,  and 
less  resolute  of  purpose,  she  might  have  yielded  to  the 
current,  pleading  that  resistance  was  unavailing.  But 
fihe  was  qualified  to  meet  the  responsibility  of  her 
position.     She  felt  that  God  had  committed  to  her  trust 

B    B 


278  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYEH. 

ten  unconverted  souls_,  dear  as  her  own  life_,  and  that  she 
must  so  fulfil  the  obligations  resting  on  her^  that  if  any 
were  lost,  it  should  not  be  through  her  neglect  of  duty. 
She  carefully  endeavoured,  first  of  all,  that  her  own  life 
should  be  consistent  with  her  profession,  and  she  also 
improved  every  propitious  season  in  giving  judicious  in- 
struction and  warning.  She  used  all  appropriate  means, 
and  in  her  various  efforts,  love  was  the  dominant  power 
exhibited  in  those  acts  of  kindness  which  is  ^  a  potent 
winner  of  the  heart.'  But  her  great  reliance  was  upon 
fervent,  unceasing  prayer,  sent  upward  to  the  mercy-seat, 
with  unwavering  faith  in  the  Divine  promises.  In  the 
many  supplications  offered  in  secret,  the  strength  of  ma- 
ternal love  added  fervour  to  devotion.  She  used  to  say 
that  her  thoughts  were  diverted,  and  the  ardour  of 
intercession  damped  by  passing  over  different  topics; 
and  therefore,  although  she  prayed  for  all  her  family  at 
once,  yet  so  she  could  not  ^  pour  out  her  heart  like  water 
before  the  Lord.'  She  presented  each  child  separately 
before  the  throne  of  grace.  In  this  individual  supplication 
she  formed  the  habit  of  what  might  be  called  concentrated 
prayer.  The  power  of  supplication  was  expended  upon 
one  child,  as  if  it  had  been  an  only  one;  and  intense 
became  the  earnestness  thus  fixed  and  kindling  upon  a 
single  object.  This  was  indeed  prayer,  and  in  His  own 
time  it  prevailed  with  God. 

"  But  long  had  this  mother  seemed  to  pray  in  vain,  and 
her  faith  was  sorely  tried  through  years  of  ^hope  de- 
ferred.' Yet  now  the  reaping  time  was  near.  She 
who  had  gone  forth  weeping,  sowing  the  precious  seed, 
was  to  return  again,  bringing  her  sheaves  with  her. 

"  The  first  convert  was  the  eldest  daughter ;  the  two 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  279 

eldest  sons  soon  after  obtained  the  good  hope  through 
grace.  And  successively,  at  intervals,  the  whole  of  the 
nine  children  made  a  profession  of  faith.  Unbounded 
thankfulness  and  joy  filled  the  mother's  heart,  but  one 
sorrow  remained,  the  husband  and  father  was  still  im- 
penitent. There  was  great  despondency  on  his  account, 
for  he  was  now  advancing  in  years,  and  he  had  begun 
to  form  the  habit  of  intemperance.  For  him,  the  many 
prayers  remained  unanswered.  Had  the  supplicating 
wife,  in  the  abundance  of  her  blessings,  received  all  that 
God  was  willing  to  grant  ?  Must  the  father  see  all  his 
family  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  he  himself '  thrust 
out?'  This  thought  was  a  burden  too  heavy  to  be 
borne,  and  yet  she  who  by  '  the  fervent  effectual  prayer 
of  the  righteous'  had  availed  so  much,  feared  that  her 
last  desire,  the  salvation  of  her  husband,  might  not  be 
granted.  All  her  tears,  entreaties,  and  prayers,  had  not 
prevailed;  and  might  not  the  harvest  be  past?  After 
much  painful  reflection,  the  faithful  wife  resolved  to 
make  one  final  effort,  and  then  leave  the  case  with  God. 
She  spent  a  night  of  anguish,  with  a  fervour  of  supplica- 
tion she  had  never  before  experienced;  and  in  the 
morning  she  thus  addressed  her  husband :  '  I  have 
offered  for  you  many  prayers ;  have  often  entreated  you 
to  attend  to  your  salvation ;  but  it  has  been  all  in  vain. 
God  has  given  me  my  children,  but  you  are  without 
hope.  I  can  do  no  more.  We  have  lived  happily  to- 
gether in  time,  but  I  fear  we  must  be  separated  in 
eternity;  I  have  but  one  more  request  to  make,  and 
then  I  must  leave  you  with  God.  Do  this  moment  seek 
the  salvation  of  your  soul." 

^'This  message,  brought  down  from  the  ^  mount  of 


280  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

God/  was  irresistible.  The  husband  seemed  for  a  mo- 
ment paralysed  and  speechless.  Finding  utterance^  he 
simply  replied_,  with  significant  emphasis,  ^  I  will.^  He 
immediately  left  his  work  and  retired  to  the  field, 
resolving,  as  he  afterwards  said,  never  to  return  till  he 
had  become  a  Christian.  The  whole  long  summer  day 
down  to  the  deep  shades  of  night  was  he  absent,  to  the 
alarm  of  his  family,  who  sought  but  found  him  not. 

'^  Thinking  himself  that  they  would  be  distressed  at  his 
absence,  he  returned,  not  a  Christian,  but  deeply  laden 
with  the  burden  of  sin.  Some  days  passed  away,  and 
then  he  experienced  a  change  from  death  unto  life.  He 
dare  not  at  first  trust  the  evidences  of  conversion,  but 
the  light  increased  as  he  ^  followed  on  to  know  the  Lord,' 
and  fear  was  overpowered  by  joy. 

"  A  revival  of  religion  had  commenced  at  the  time, 
and  the  aged  convert  attended  the  evening  meeting.  He 
supposed  that  none  had  heard  of  the  change  in  his 
character,  but  there  was  joy  on  earth  as  well  as  ^  among 
the  angels,'  for  the  tidings  had  spread  abroad.  When 
the  meeting  was  dismissed,  the  young  converts  and 
members  of  the  church  gathered  around  the  new  disciple, 
taking  him  by  surprise  as  they  rejoiced  over  his  salva- 
tion. It  was  a  moving  scene.  As  he  described  it,  ^  the 
young  people  wept  and  I  wept,  we  were  all  children  to- 
gether, and  I  as  much  a  child  as  any  of  them.'  The 
cup  of  the  praying  mother  could  hold  no  more.  God 
had  granted  all  that  she  asked,  and  she  could  now  hope 
to  sit  down  at  last  with  all  her  family  in  heaven  ^  Oh, 
infinite  reward  of  faith  and  prayer!  What  glory  of 
earth  can  be  named  with  this  ? 

"  The  praying  mother  still  lives,  extremely  aged,  blind. 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  281 

infirm^  but  retaining  remarkably   her   mental  faculties 
and  her  spiritual  vigour.     She  has   seen   her   children 
connected  with  pious  families,  and  listened  to  some  of 
them  as  preachers  of  the  gospel.     Most  of  her  grand- 
children are  also  members  of  the  church,  one  a  missionary 
to  a  foreign  land,  and  for  each  of  the  unconverted  she 
continues  the  daily  prayer.     The  aged  disciple  patiently 
waits,  but  longs  to  depart.     She  often  turns  her  sightless 
orbs  up  towards  heaven  as  if  asking  '  How  long,  Lord, 
how  long?^     But,  long  as  her  life  has  been  protracted, 
she  has  not  lived  in  vain.     Christian  mothers,  see  in  this 
example  what  power  God  has  granted  you.    Use  it  faith- 
fully and  well,  for  great  is  '  the  recompense  of  reward.' " 
It  is  told  in  the  "  Life  of  Mrs.  Winslow,''  that  she 
determined,  with  God's  blessing,  that  every  member  of 
her  family  should  appear  with  her  at  God's  right  hand. 
She  wrestled  long  in  prayer,  and  she  had  the  happiness 
of  seeing,   one  after  another,  her   children   brought  to 
God,  until  not  one  was  left  "  without  God  in  the  world." 
She  ascribes  this  to  no  miracle,  except  the  miracle  of 
grace  that  is  wrought  in  every  soul  brought  home,  but 
she  does  recognise  answer  to  prayer  in  her  having  lived 
to  see  this  wondrous  sight. 

For  many  a  long  year  did  the  seaman's  prayer  lie  in 
the  old  oak  chest,  but  at  length,  like  the  chrysalis,  it 
burst  its  shell  and  came  forth  to  life  and  light.     Captain 

Mitchell  R was  from  early  life  accustomed  to  the 

sea.  He  commanded  a  merchant's  ship  that  sailed  from 
Philadelphia.  After  his  marriage,  he  again  went  to  sea, 
and  committed  to  writing,  while  in  a  highly  devotional 
frame  of  mind,  a  prayer  for  the  temporal  and  eternal 
happiness  of  his  beloved  wife  and  unborn  babe. 

B  B  2 


282  EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER. 

This  prayer,  nearly  filling  a  sheet  of  paper,  was  de- 
posited, with  his  other  writings,  at  the  bottom  of  an  old 
oak  chest.  The  captain  died  before  the  completion  of 
the  voyage,  in  the  year  1757,  and  his  instruments, 
papers,  &c.,  were  returned  to  his  wife.  Finding  they 
were  generally  what  she  could  not  understand,  she  locked 
up  the  chest  for  her  babe,  (who  proved  to  be  a  son,)  at 
some  future  time.  At  eighteen  this  son  entered  the 
army,  and  in  1775  marched  for  Boston,  He  gave  the 
reins  to  his  lusts,  and  for  many  years  yielded  to  almost 
every  temptation  to  sin.  At  length,  he  was  called  to  the 
death-bed  of  his  mother,  who  gave  him  the  key  of  his 
father^s  chest,  which,  however,  he  did  not  open,  lest  he 
should  meet  with  something  of  a  religious  kind  that 
should  reprove  his  sins  and  harass  his  feelings.  At 
length,  in  1814,  when  in  his  fifty-sixth  year,  he  deter- 
mined to  examine  its  whole  contents.  When  he  reached 
the  bottom,  he  discovered  a  paper,  neatly  folded,  and  en- 
dorsed, "The  prayer  of  Mitchell  R for  blessings  on 

his  wife  and  child,  August  23,  1757."  He  read  it;  the 
scene,  the  time,  the  place,  and  circumstances  under 
which  it  was  written  and  put  there,  all  rushed  upon  his 
mind,  and  overwhelmed  him,  for  often  had  his  widowed 
mother  led  him  to  the  beach,  and  pointed  to  him  the 
direction  on  the  horizon  where  she  had  traced  the  last 
glimpse  of  flowing  canvas  that  bore  his  father  from  her, 
never  to  return.  He  threw  the  contents  back  into  the 
chest,  folded  up  the  prayer,  and  put  it  into  the  case 
with  his  father^s  quadrant,  locked  up  the  chest,  and  de- 
termined never  again  to  unlock  it.  But  his  father's 
prayer  still  haunted  his  imagination,  and  he  could  not 
forget  it.     At  length  his  distress  became  extreme,  and  a 


EXPECTATION    IN    PRAYER.  283 

person  with  whom  he  lived  entreated  to  know,  the  cause. 
He  looked  on  her  with  mildness,  and  replied,  "  I  cannot 
tell  you.^'  This  only  increased  her  solicitude;  he  en- 
treated her  to  withdraw;  as  she  left  the  room_,  she  cast 
an  anxious  and  expressive  look  upon  him_,  and  he 
instantly  called  her  hack.  He  then_,  with  all  the  feelings 
which  an  awakened  guilty  conscience  could  endure_,  told 
the  cause  of  his  agonies — his  father^ s  prayer  in  the  old 
chest.  She  thought  him  deranged,  his  neighbours  were 
called  in  to  comfort  him,  but  in  vain.  The  prayer  had 
inflicted  a  wound  which  the  Great  Physician  of  souls 
only  could  heal.  From  that  period  he  became  an  altered 
man,  forsook  every  way  of  sin,  united  himself  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  set  his  slaves  at  liberty,  and  lived  and 
died  a  humble,  exemplary  Christian. 

Let  the  parent,  then,  who  prays  for  the  conversion  of 
a  child,  or  the  husband  or  wife  who  prays  for  the  con- 
version the  one  of  the  other;  let  the  man  who  prays 
for  some  spiritual  blessing,  it  may  be  perhaps  for  that  of 
deep  assurance,  or  the  perfect  victory  over  some  besetting 
sin,  let  such,  and  all  who  are  praying  according  to  the 
mind  and  will  of  God,  be  patient,  "  In  due  season  they 
shall  reap  if  they  faint  not."  "  Behold,  the  husbandman 
waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long 
patience  for  it,  until  he  receive  the  early  and  latter  rain, 
be  ye  also  patient,"  the  answer  is  on  its  way,  hail  even  a 
little  sign  of  it ;  it  was  from  a  cloud  no  bigger  than  a 
man^s  hand,  that  the  heavens  became  overcast,  and  then 
there  fell,  in  answer  to  the  prophet's  prayer,  abundance 
of  rain. 


284 


CHAPTEH  XV. 
THE   ''I  WILL"  OF  INTENSE  PEATER. 


Psalm  xxviii,  I.  "  Unto  Thee  will  I  cri/,  O  Lord  my  rock;  he 
not  silent  to  me :  lest,  if  Thou  he  silent  to  me,  I  become  like  them 
that  go  down  into  the  pit." 

Psalm  Iv,  17.  "Evening,  and  morning,  atid  at  noon,  will  I 
pray,  and  cry  aloud :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice.'* 

Psalm  Ixiii,  1.  "  O  God,  Thou  art  my  God ;  early  will  I  seek 
Thee :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  Thee,  my  flesh  longethfor  Thee  in  a 
dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is." 

HOW  shall  we  undertake  to  speak  of  this  subject? 
What  do  we  know  of  it  ?  Where  is  the  pen  that 
can  write  worthily  of  it  ?  When  we  see  a  specimen  of 
it  in  Jesu^s  prayer  in  Gethsemane^  when  we  think  of  the 
agony  of  supplication  there^  we  are  ashamed  to  take  up 
the  subject  of  Intensity  in  Prayer;  none  could  speak 
worthily  of  it^  save  He,  who  realized  it  in  His  own  tears, 
and  woe,  and  bloody  sweat. 

And  yet  this  subject  must  not  be  passed  by,  for  it  is 
one  of  great  importance  to  the  Christian;  the  higher 
we  rise  in  our  spiritual  life,  the  more  shall  we  know 
practically  of  Intensity  in  Prayer. 

We  are  to  consider  here, 

The  seasons  of  Intense  Prayer. 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  285 

There  are  two  distinct  seasons  of  intense  prayer ;  (1) 
those  with  which  circumstances  have  to  do ;  and  (2) 
those  in  which  man  is  being  wrought  upon  by  immediate 
and  independent  operations  of  the  Spirit. 

We  are  sometimes  brought  into  such  circumstances^ 
that  a  fixed  and  speedy  time  must  settle  a  question.^ 
Perhaps  the  life  or  death  of  a  beloved  relative  is  in 
jeopardy ;  a  decision  in  some  important  question  has  to 
be  made;  relief  is  required  for  pain  which  must  be  borne 
within  the  next  hour;  strength  is  needed  to  carry  us 
through  an  interview,  which  must  come  off  within  the 
next  few  minutes ;  grace  and  wisdom  are  needed  for  our 
lips  in  dealing  with  some  one  whom  we  love,  and  whose 
soul  is  in  jeopardy,  and  now  an  opportunity  is  afforded  of 
speaking  to  him ;  these  are  some  examples  of  circum- 
stances, in  which  time  becomes  an  element  of  intensity 

*  "  When  tlie  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke  and  Dr.  Prince  were  in  Western 
Africa,  they  penetrated  a  part  of  the  interior,  where  a  warlike 
tribe  resided,  which  they  had  never  before  seen.  It  being  a 
perilous  undertaking,  they  offered  special  prayer  for  the  Divine 
protection  and  blessing.  At  length,  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  the 
tribe  appeared,  with  their  weapons  of  war.  At  the  command 
of  their  chief,  they  rushed  down  the  hill  with  their  pointed 
lances,  as  if  intent  on  the  destruction  of  the  two  strangers.  The 
missionaries  again  earnestly  prayed  that  the  Lord  would  mani- 
fest His  protecting  power,  and  give  them  an  opportunity  of 
proclaiming  Christ  to  these  savages.  They  encouraged  each 
other  to  exercise  confidence  in  God,  with  the  words,  '  Stand 
still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  the  Lord.'  They  therefore  stood 
still  and  prayed.  The  tribe  soon  encircled  them ;  and  when 
death  seemed  most  imminent,  the  warriors  threw  down  their 
weapons  to  the  ground,  and  the  missionaries  at  once  made 
known  to  them  tlie  glorious  gospel." — Phillips's  Remarkable 
Answers. 


286  INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER. 

in  prayer.  But  they  are  only  examples,  for  such  cir- 
cumstances are  continually  occurring ;  if  an  answer  is  to 
be  given  at  all,  it  must  be  within  a  certain  time. 

God  has  often  taught  His  people  the  meaning  of 
intensity  in  prayer,  by  bringing  them  thus  decidedly  to  a 
point ;  they  now  find  with  how  little  intensity  they  had 
often  prayed  before;  they  seem  to  themselves  never  to 
have  prayed  at  all ;  they  feel  what  a  strong  reality  prayer 
is.  Many  a  mother  has  thus  learned  Intensity  of  Prayer, 
by  the  bed-side  of  a  fevered  child ;  many  a  father  by  the 
bed-side  of  an  almost  dying  wife ;  into  a  few  moments, 
they  seem  then  to  compress  all  the  prayers  of  former 
years.  Call  not,  dear  reader,  upon  God,  to  teach  you 
how  to  pray  intensely  by  such  experiences  as  these :  if 
you  be  a  child  of  God,  you  must  be  taught  "  Intensity 
in  Prayer,"  but  you  need  not  learn  it  thus;  you  may 
obtain  it  by  direct  influences  of  the  Spirit  :  and  then, 
when  the  time  of  need  has  come,  you  will  be  called  upon 
to  use,  not  to  learn  intensity  of  prayer. 

Another  season  of  intensity  in  prayer,  is  when  sudden 
calamity  comes  upon  us.  There  are  occasions  in  life, 
when  we  feel  ourselves  in  a  moment  plunged  into  trouble, 
bereft  of  our  usual  resources,  and  friends,  and  left 
solitary  to  get  out  of  our  affliction  as  best  we  can ;  we 
awake  as  in  a  moment  to  find  ourselves  in  circumstances 
of  great  distress,  from  whatever  cause  that  distress  may 
come.  At  such  seasons,  we  find  ourselves  brought  into 
the  immediate  presence  of  God;  we  feel  that  we  must 
have  more  than  human  support,  or  we  shall  be  unable 
to  bear  up  under  the  sudden  pressure  that  has  come 
upon  us ;  we  are  driven  by  our  sharp  ^stress  to  intense 
prayer. 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  287 

And  it  is  thus  that  sudden  calamity  should  indeed  be 
met.  Nothing  will  so  calm  the  mind_,  and  fit  it  for 
deliberation^  as  a  few  moments  of  intense  prayer ;  in  that 
intense  prayer,  we  may  rest  assured,  God  will  be  found 
by  His  children ;  and  having  secured  Him  on  their  side, 
they  will  be  able  steadily  to  meet  that,  with  Him,  which 
it  would  have  been  ill  meeting  indeed,  without  Him. 

When  we  have  had  special  realizations  of  the  magnitude 
or  importance  of  the  thing  to  be  prayed  for,  is  another 
season  of  intense  prayer.  The  true  proportions  of  things 
are  not  always  seen;  we  often  pray,  little  knowing  the 
greatness  of  that  which  we  are  praying  for."^  We  pray, 
for  example,  that  God  would  graciously  preserve  us  in 
health,  and  strength,  continuing  to  us  the  use  of  our 
faculties,  and  various  blessings,  and  we  pray  languidly 
enough  :  but  let  us  be  threatened  with  the  speedy  loss  of 
some  of  these  blessings,  or  say,  of  one  of  them,  of  our 
sight, — let  us  shut  our  eyes,  and  picture  to  ourselves  a 
:^tate  of  darkness  continued  as  long  as  we  live ;  let  us  feel 
ourselves  about  to  be  shut  out  from  the  loving  faces  of 
our  friends,  from  the  flowers,  and  trees,  and  fields :  let 
us  think  that  soon  every  step  must  be  taken  with  uncer- 
tainty— that  we  are  destined,  it  may  be,  to  be  a  burden 
on  those  around  us ;  now  we  have  special  realizations  of 
the  magnitude  of  that  for  which  we  are  about  to  pray, 
when  we  ask,  it  may  be,  that  something  troubling  the 
eye  may  be  removed ;  tli^  meaning  of  which  now  is,  that 
we  may  not  be  left  to  spend  our  days  in  blindness ;  and 
we  shall  pray  with  intensity  when  we  bring  this  matter 
before  God. 

We  shall  presently  meet  with  these  realizations  of 
*  "  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask."    Matthew  xx,  22. 


288  INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER. 

magnitude  in  spiritual  things ;  the  above  will  serve  as  an 
example  of  what  we  mean  with  regard  to  such  realizations 
generally. 

We  little  know,  how  great  are  the  blessings  for  which 
we  are  often  praying,  and  on  this  account  our  prayers 
are  dull;  God  sometimes  sets  them  before  us  in  their 
true  light,  and  quickens  us  into  intensity  of  prayer. 

WJien  we  have  been  completely  shut  up  in  our  oivn 
resources,  and  there  is  heavy  pressure  upon  us,  we  often 
learn  the  meaning  of  Intensity  in  Prayer.  It  often 
happens  that,  without  our  knowing  or  intending  it,  we 
permit  the  possession  of  even  one  slender  resource  to 
affect  our  intensity  in  prayer.  We  honestly  do  not  wish 
this  to  be  the  case;  we  wish  to  cast  ourselves  on  God 
alone;  we  wish  to  look  to  Him  alone,  but  poor  weak 
human  nature  makes  us  squint  out  of  the  corner  of  our 
eye  at  some  means  which  seem  at  hand,  or  from  which 
we  should  hope  much,  if  only  we  could  get  them  within 
our  reach.  Ask  men  who  have  been  really  "  shut  up," 
and  that  "  under  pressure,"  and  they  will  tell  you  the 
meaning  of  Intensity  in  Prayer. 


Let  us  turn,  however,  to  those  seasons  of  intense 
prayer  which  are  experienced,  owing  to  immediate  and 
independent  operations  of  the  Spirit.  We  have  now  to 
consider  times,  when  no  particular  circumstances  are 
working  upon  the  mind,  to  wind  it  up  to  such  a  pitch  of 
earnestness  as  might  fitly  be  described  by  the  word 
"  intense" — times  unknown  to  the  people  of  the  world 
— times  well  known  to  the  people  of  God. 

These  workings  of  the  Spirit  may  have  reference  to 
man  in  a  struggling   state,  or   to   man   in   a  state   of 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  289 

attainment.  Take  man  in  a  struggling  state;  lie  has 
perhaps  just  failed  in  some  point  in  which  he  earnestly 
desired,  and  in  which  he  had  determined,  to  do  well,  or  it 
may  be  that  he  is  brooding  over  such  past  failures,  and 
is  half  maddened  at  them ;  the  Spirit  of  God  is  now 
working  upon  him.  He  is  shewing  him  his  weakness.  He 
is  proving  to  him  what  flesh  and  blood  really  are,  what 
man  is  in  himself,  even  though  he  be  honest,  and  well 
intentioned,  and  active  in  making  effort.  Full  of  shame 
and  self  reproach,  and  it  may  be  of  fear  with  reference  to 
the  future,  the  soul  now  becomes  quickened  into  intensity 
of  prayer,  it  looks  to  God,  it  enlists  His  strength,  it 
seeks  to  Him  as  a  refuge  from  its  own  demerits  and 
shortcomings,  it  sees  Him  in  Christ,  and  puts  intensity 
into  some  such  words  as  these — ^'  Unto  Thee  do  I  cry, 
O  Lord,  my  Rock,  be  not  silent  to  me,  lest,  if  Thou  be 
silent  to  me,  I  become  like  them  that  go  down  into 
the  pit/' 

Or  it  may  be  that  the  pressure,  and  burden,  and  evil 
of  sin  are  now  being  peculiarly  felt.  There  are  times 
when  the  Spirit  of  God  deals  especially  with  a  believer 
in  this  matter ;  when  the  Lord  reveals  to  a  man  more 
than  he  ever  knew  before  of  his  position  before  Him  as 
a  sinner;  when  he  feels  sin  to  be  exceeding  sinful.  Then 
comes  the  cry,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,''  then 
comes  the  deep  consciousness  of  individual  idleness  and 
baseness,  then  the  heart  groans,  being  burdened.  There 
is  now  no  taste  of  sweetness  about  sin,  but  all  is 
unmingled  gaU  and  bitterness;  there  is  now  playing 
around  it  not  a  sparkle  or  gleam  of  hght,  but  all  is 
thick  and  oppressive  darkness ;  there  is  now  no  joy  or 
gladness  connected  with  it,  but  it  is  like  Ezekiel's  roll, 

c  c 


290  INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER. 

written  botli  within  and  without  with  woe.  Oh !  when 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  dealing  with  a  man  with  reference  to 
sin,  sin  wears  an  aspect  far  more  awful  than  that  which 
it  wears  simply  under  the  reproaches  of  conscience. 
Conscience  can  tell  the  difference  between  good  and  evil, 
right  and  wrong,  it  can  tell  what  is  sin,  but  it  cannot 
tell  the  exceeding  evil  of  sin.  To  know  this,  there  must 
be  a  revelation  of  the  holiness  of  God;  there  must  be  a 
revelation  of  the  intrinsic  evil  and  corruption  of  sin; 
there  must  be  certain  teachings  with  reference  to  our 
own  nature;  there  must  be  certain  feelings,  not  one  of 
which  is  it  the  immediate  office  of  conscience  to  bestow, 
but  which,  one  and  all,  come  from  the  operation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

When  a  man  is  under  these  operations  of  the  Spirit,  he 
knows  what  it  is  to  be  intense  in  prayer — to  pray  as  a 
pressed  and  burdened  sinner  who  sees  sin  to  be  exceeding 
sinful.  Jesus,  though  sinless,  put  himself  in  the  position 
of  a  sinner,  and  ha\4ng  done  so.  He  had  to  feel  realizations 
of  what  sin  was.  Although  sin  was  not  in  Him,  and  had 
never  been  committed  by  Him,  all  its  anguish,  all  its 
horror  came  upon  Him ;  these  were,  doubtless,  some  of 
the  ingredients  of  that  cup  of  gall  and  wormwood  which 
He  drank  of  in  Gethsemane,  and  drained  even  to  the 
last  of  its  dregs  upon  the  cross.  We  need  scarcely  point 
out  that  these  experiences  of  sin,  and  intense  prayer  in 
connection  with  them,  are  unknown  to  the  people  of  the 
world.  Very  superficial  indeed  are  their  views  of  sin, 
very  superficial  their  prayers  about  it ;  but  God's  people 
know  something  of  all  this;  even  though  such  seasons  as 
these  of  which  we  have  been  speaking  are  short,  mercifully 
short,  and  the  prayer  connected  with  them  be  but  one 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  291 

agonized  look  to  heaven^  or  one   abashed  and  broken- 
hearted look  upon  the  ground. 

Hard  following  upon  this  season  comes  that^  in  which 
man  longs  intently  for  inward  comfort  and  peace.  He 
wants  the  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding ; 
he  wants  rest  in  the  Lord.  There  is  a  state  of  rest  for 
the  soul,  and  that  is  what  he  craves.  At  this  time  what 
might  be  called  a  vision  of  peace  comes  over  him ;  he 
sees  much  of  its  blessedness,  though  he  feels  that  he 
possesses  it  not ;  and  this  drives  him  to  intense  prayer. 
It  is  God^s  intention  that  this  peace  should  be  given,  but 
it  is  His  intention  also  that  it  should  be  earnestly  sought ; 
and  He  stirs  up  the  soul  to  such  prayer  as  has  power 
with  Him  and  will  prevail. 

There  are,  however,  other  immediate  and  independent 
operations  of  the  Spirit,  which  have  reference  to  man, 
not  so  much  in  a  struggling  state  as  in  one  of 
attainment. 

The  Spirit  is  ever  working,  ever  teaching,  ever  leading ; 
and  these  workings,  and  teachings,  often  have  reference 
to  prayer.  Let  us  take  the  case  of  a  man  who  has  made 
attainment  in  divine  things  ;  there  are  seasons  when  such 
an  one's  heart  is  under  the  special  influences  of  the 
Spirit  for  elevation.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  raising  the 
man,  is  upheaving  his  nature,  is  kindling  within  Him 
great  desires,  is  gifting  him  with  larger  power  of  prayer. 
That  gift  is  working,  and  the  man  thus  favoured  is 
enabled  to  pray  under  immediate  influences  from  above. 
These  seasons  are  gifts  from  God ;  may  they  be  bestowed 
upon  us  more  and  more ;  they  are  sure  to  produce  great 
results,  and  they  are  manifest  tokens  of  divine  favour. 

Then,  there  are  times  when  there  is  kindled  in  the 


292  INTENSITY   IN    PRAYER. 

soul  earnest  desire  for  some  spiritual  blessing.  This 
desire  is  kindled  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  At  such  a  time 
the  exceeding  preciousness  of  this  particular  blessing  is 
brought  vividly  before  us ;  the  want  of  it  is  made  more 
keenly  felt ;  the  hearths  eager  and  earnest  desire  is  set 
on  the  possession  of  it;  it  becomes,  perhaps,  the  one 
leading  thought  of  life,  and  we  wrestle  with  God  in 
prayer,  and  say  ^'  I  will  not  let  Thee  go,  until  Thou  bless 
tclq"  Thus  many  such  blessings  have  been  obtained; 
happy  is  he  whose  earnest  longing  for  spiritual  blessing 
has  taken  such  a  development  as  this;  in  intensity  of 
prayer  the  blessing  has  been  won. 

And  who  is  there  at  all  accustomed  to  exercise  himself 
in  prayer,  who  has  not  experienced  apparent  denials; 
denials  which  required  faith  to  be  borne  with,  denials 
which  seemed  at  the  time  to  be  harsh  and  rough  ?  At 
times  it  appeared  as  though  God  had  forgotten  to  bf 
gracious,  as  though  He  had  shut  up  His  ear,  as 
though  He  would  not  listen  to  our  request;  and  faint 
hearts  have  sunk  so  low,  that  they  restrained  prayer, 
until  by  some  special  dealing  of  the  Spirit  they  were 
roused  to  it  again.  Now  in  all  purely  spiritual  blessings 
we  may,  as  it  were,  say,  that  we  will  take  no  final 
denial  from  God.  He  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  put 
Himself  in  all  such  things  within  our  power,  so  that  He 
cannot  go  away  from  us,  leaving  us  without  the  spiritual 
good,  for  which  He  Himself  has  given  us  the  grace  to 
long.  The  history  of  Jacobus  successful  wrestling  with 
the  angel  is  a  palpable  proof  of  this ;  and  we  may  be 
sure,  that  what  took  place  with  the  patriarch  actually,  has 
taken  place  with  many  a  man  symbolically,  and  God  has 
graciously  yielded,  when  He  found  Himself  with  one  whc 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  293 

by  the  power  of  His  own  Spirit  could  say^  "  I  will  not 
let  Thee  go,  except  Thou  bless  me." 

Again  we  would  repeat,  that  men  may  come  to  the  throne 
of  grace  for  purely  spiritual  hlessings,  with  a  determination 
to  receive  no  final  denial  from  God — but  let  it  be  under- 
stood, that  this  refers  to  spiritual  blessings  alone.  All  else 
we  must  leave  unreservedly  to  God;  and  even  in  the  matter 
of  purely  spiritual  blessings,  how,  and  when,  and  through 
what  instrumentality  they  are  to  be  vouchsafed,  must  be 
left  wholly  in  God^s  hands.  It  would  be  most  sinful  to 
kneel  down  and  pray,  that  without  any  special  reference  to 
God^s  wisdom  and  will,  we  should  receive  such  and  such 
a  blessing — that  a  child  should  recover — that  a  husband 
or  a  wife  should  be  spared — that  a  speculation  in  business 
should  succeed — that  failing  health  should  be  restored — 
or  the  anguish  and  debility  of  illness  be  taken  away. 

To  be  answered  in  many  such  desires,  might  be  the 
means  of  eventually  excluding  us  from  the  kingdom  of 
heaven — in  anger  God  has  answered  such  prayers  as 
these;  He  has  given  men  their  hearths  desires,  and 
^^  withal  sent  leanness  into  their  souls."  All  such  things 
must  be  left  entirely  to  God's  judgment  and  will;  and 
not  only  these,  but  a  large  class  of  spiritual  blessings 
also.  You  might  come,  and  kneel  down,  and  ask  for 
immediate  peace  of  mind,  or  for  immediate  knowledge  of 
the  deep  things  of  God,  or  for  deliverance  from  some 
Satanic  pressure  upon  your  soul,  or  for  a  variety  of 
blessings  of  this  class,  each  one  of  which  is  undoubtedly 
most  excellent  and  desirable  in  itself,  and  not  only  excel- 
lent and  desirable,  but  also  a  fit  subject  for  prayer;  and 
yet  the  amount  of  the  answer,  and  the  time  when  that 
amount  shall  be  vouchsafed,  must  be  entirely  left  in  the 

c  c  2 


294  INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER. 

hands  of  God.  A  spiritual  blessings  by  coining  at  an 
improper  time_,  migbt  prove  a  spiritual  curse ;  and  the 
peace  which  we  desire  so  much^  if  given  at  once_,  mighty 
for  all  we  know^  but  provide  the  elements  of  some  future 
snare,  or  keep  us  back  from  a  future  high  position  which 
otherwise  might  have  been  attained.  For  some  blessings,, 
however,  we  may  ask,  without  any  reservation  or  any 
limit.  The  inestimable  blessings  of  love,  of  grace,  of 
faith,  of  humility,  of  patience,  and  all  such,  may  be 
sought  for  with  such  eagerness,  that  he  who  seeks  for 
them  might  be  said  to  appear  determined  to  take  no 
denial ;  and  such  a  feeling  is  acceptable  to  God  ;  it  is  not 
presumption,  it  is  faith  ;  it  is  not  audacity,  it  is  boldness  ; 
it  is  not  desperation,  it  is  energy ;  such  a  feeling  shall 
assuredly  gain  the  blessing,  and  the  perseverance  which 
it  exercises  shall  be  crowned  abundantly  with  success. 

But  while  denials  of  whatever  is  for  our  good,  are  only 
apparent,  delays  are  real,  and  often  most  distressing  to 
the  soul.  Promises  have  been  so  long  delayed,  as  to 
have  been  to  all  human  appearances  lost,  and  the 
exercise  of  the  spirit  has  been  carried  on,  through  great 
disquietude  of  the  flesh.  Amid  all  delays,  however,  the 
promises  of  God  are  sure ;  though  they  tarry,  they  will 
not  tarry  beyond  the  appointed  time.  And  whilst  we 
are  now  waiting  and  watching  for  promised  blessings,  the 
<:;ommand  comes  to  us  to  ask,  to  seek,  to  knock ;  silence 
on  God^s  part,  is  not  to  be  met  by  silence  on  ours;  His 
delays  must  not  destroy  our  hopes.-^     There  is  not  a  child 

*  See  the  case  of  the  Syro-phenieian  woman  in  Matthew  xv,  21, 
&e. — first,  "  He  answered  her  not  a  word ;"  then  He  said,  "  I  am  not 
sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel  j"  and  lastly,  "  It 
is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  to  cast  it  to  dogs." 


INTENSITY    IN    PRAYER.  295 

of  God  on  earth,  who  has  not  from  time  to  time  been 
exercised  by  delays ;  tinder  the  trials  of  delay,  some  of 
their  finest  graces  have  come  forth,  and  the  highest 
lustre  been  conferred  upon  the  jewels  of  their  heavenly 
crowns.  Little  did  men  know,  what  God  was  doing  for 
them,  when  He  kept  them  a  long  time  waiting,  even  for 
that  which  He  had  positively  assured  them  that  He 
would  give ;  little  did  they  know,  as  they  looked  forward 
in  patience,  and  humble  trust,  that  each  day  thus  spent, 
had  appended  to  it  its  own  reward — but  thus,  it  has 
ever  been — God^s  promises  bear  an  interest,  which 
accumulates  every  day,  and  in  full  tale  both  principal 
and  interest  shall  be  paid* 

To  us,  then,  dear  reader,  may  it  be  given  to  pray — to 
pray  in  trouble — to  pray  continuously — to  pray  expect- 
ingly — to  pray  intensely — to  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Let  us  tread  our  pilgrimage's  rough  road  with  prayer ;  let 
us  face  our  fierce  enemies  in  prayer ;  let  us  be  prepared  to 
meet,  alike  the  perils  of  life's  lonely  places,  and  its 
thoroughfares  in  prayer;  the  prayers  of  this  life  shall 
soon  be  needed  no  more ;  then  shall  our  voices  mingle 
in  the  praises  of  the  life  that  is  to  come. 


296 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


^ctiaii. 


Psalm  Ixxi,  16.     "J  tcill  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  Ood" 

Psalm  Ixxxvi,  11.  "Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord,  I  will  walk 
in  Thy  truth." 

Psalm  cxvi,  9.  "  I  will  walk  hefore  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the 
living.''^ 

Psalm  cxix,  32.  "  I  ivill  run  the  way  of  Thy  commatidments, 
when  Thou  shalt  enlarge  my  hearth 

I|IiE  men  of  the  world  are  steeped  in  ignorance  as 
regards  all  tilings  belonging  to  God^  and  the 
spiritual  life.  The  world  lies  in  darkness ;  it  loves  dark- 
ness; it  cannot  comprehend  any  other  condition  save 
that  of  darkness;  and  it  will  not  come  to  the  light 
because  its  deeds  are  evil.  Nor  was  the  condition  of  the 
world  changed  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord ;  it  rolls  on  in 
darkness  now,  just  as  it  did  when  He  was  upon  the 
earth ;  and  so  it  will  roll,  until  He  appear  again  in  light 
and  glory,  when  the  light  shall  overcome  the  darkness, 
and  that,  when  it  is  thicker  and  denser  than  ever  it  was 
before. 

It  is  true,  we  have  daily  displayed  before  us  the  in- 
creasing knowledge  of  man;  but  knowledge  is  one  thing. 


ACTION.  297 

and  true  wisdom  is  another^  and  the  world  by  its  wisdom 
knows  not  God. 

With  all  man^s  increase  in  knowledge^  it  is  really 
wonderful  how  little  he  has  increased  in  practical  wisdom. 
The  pages  of  history  seem  to  have  taught  him  but  little ; 
the  experiences  of  others  seem  to  be  thrown  away  on  him ; 
and  in  kingdoms,  societies,  and  the  individual  circles  of 
men's  daily  life,  we  see  the  same  old  faults  and  follies 
renewed  again  and  again.  If  we  strip  these  of  the  adven- 
titious circumstances  connected  with  them,  we  shall  find 
how  little  variety  there  is  in  sin.  If  the  people  of  the 
world  continue  thus  ignorant  in  those  things  which  come 
so  easily  within  their  comprehension,  which  come  so 
frequently  under  their  observation,  and  in  which  their 
own  visible  interests  are  concerned,  is  it  any  wonder 
that  they  are  ignorant  of  the  things  of  God,  of  His 
ways,  of  His  laws,  of  His  mind,  of  the  fact  that  God 
seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  that  His  ways  are  not  as  our 
ways,  nor  His  thoughts  as  our  thoughts  ? 

The  wonder  is,  not  that  we  were  ignorant,  but  that  we 
were  ever  made  wise ;  and  the  wonder  is  dispelled,  only 
by  our  seeing  that  this  was  done  by  the  immediate 
working  of  the  Spirit. 

There  is  no  point  on  which  the  world  is  more  dark 
than  that  of  its  own  ignorance — we  might  truly  say, 
^'  it  is  ignorant  of  its  ignorance'^ — it  knows  enough  when 
it  learns  by  rote  a  few  first  principles  of  religion;  it 
comforts  itself  that  it  is  not  atheistical  because  it  believes 
that  there  is  a  God ;  but  as  to  knowing  His  ways,  laws, 
mind,  or  any  such  things,  with  them  it  has  nothing  at  all 
to  do. 

The  people  of  the  world  do  not  care  for  enlightenment ; 


298  ACTION. 

they  feel  no  pressing  need  for  it ;  in  all  probability  they 
have  an  instinctive  feeling  that  if  enlightened  they  would 
know  a  little  more  than  they  wish  to  know ;  that  their 
newly  acquired  knowledge  would  interfere  with  their  old 
habits  and  ways,  and  this  is  one  reason  why  all  spiritual 
teaching  which  goes  beneath  the  surface  is  distasteful  to 
the  majority  of  men.  They  cannot  bear  to  be  brought 
into  contact  with  God,  in  anything  but  a  general  way ; 
the  particulars  of  His  character  may  not  agree  over  well 
with  the  particulars  of  their  lives  ! 

It  is  the  fashion  in  the  present  day  to  talk  of  man's 
enlightenment,  and  to  represent  human  nature  as  up- 
heaving under  its  load,  as  straining  towards  a  knowledge 
of  truth ;  such  is  not  in  reality  the  case,  and  wherever 
there  is  an  effort  in  the  mind  untaught  of  the  Spirit, 
it  is  directed  towards  God  as  the  great  moral,  and  not  as 
the  great  spiritual  Being.  A  man  untaught  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  may  long  to  know  a  moral,  he  never  can  desire  to 
know  a  spiritual  Being. 

Dear  reader,  cease  to  wonder  that  spiritual  truth  has 
made  so  little  progress  in  the  world,  rather  wonder  that 
it  has  made  so  much;  marvel  not  that  so  few  know 
anything  of  God,  rather  marvel  that  even  so  many 
are  found,  who  say,  "  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord.'' 

The  idea,  then,  of  those  whom  we  are  accustomed  to 
call  ^^good  people"  in  the  world,  is  that  when  they 
recognise  the  existence  of  God,  they  do  enough ;  when 
they  acknowledge  His  moral  government,  no  more  can 
be  required ;  the  ideas  of  God^s  people  on  these  points 
are,  however,  very  different.  In  the  first  place,  they  feel 
that  they  can  neither  know  nor  desire  God's  way  by 
themselves.     This  they  have  been  taught  by  the  Holy 


ACTION.  299 

Ghost.  The  Spirit  has  made  them  feel  that  the  natural 
bent  of  their  minds  was  away  from  God;  they  have  even 
detected  their  minds  in  the  very  act  of  loathing  divine 
things;  they  have  felt  themselves  vile  and  wicked^  in 
their  distaste  to  all  that  is  spiritual ;  but  with  all  this 
knowledge  they  could  make  no  advance^  the  truth  beings 
that  they  had  still  the  carnal  heart_,  which,,  no  matter 
what  it  knows  or  feels^  is^  and  must  be^  "  enmity  against 
God." 

Dear  reader^  your  own  experience  may  doubtless  be 
appealed  to  on  this  subject.  Was  there  not  a  time  when 
you  felt  no  desire  to  know  more  of  God,  of  His  laws, 
and  ways,  than  you  had  learned  in  the  ordinary  teaching, 
which  you  received  perhaps  as  a  child  ?  That  sufficed 
for  you ;  and  if  from  time  to  time  you  saw  some 
glimmering  of  light,  it  was  just  enough  to  make  your 
darkness  visible,  but  you  did  not  care  to  come  to  the 
light,  nor  that  that  light  should  grow  stronger,  revealing 
more  and  more  of  God.  The  retrospect  of  such  a  season 
as  this  makes  the  believer  see  distinctly  how  completely 
he  is  a  debtor  to  grace ;  he  says,  "  had  I  been  left  to 
myself,  I  should  never  have  sought  the  Lord;  never 
could  I  have  had  a  yearning  of  heart  for  spiritual  views 
of  God;  I  remember  my  distaste  to  divine  things  too 
well,  to  deceive  myself  by  supposing  that  I  have  grown 
into  spiritual  desires,  or  that  I  have  struggled  into  them, 
or  worked  myself  up  to  them,  or  have  had  the  smallest 
part  in  procuring  them  for  my  self.''  Every  man  that  is 
born  of  the  Spirit  knows  that  he  was  ignorant,  and  that 
he  loved  to  continue  ignorant,  and  that  he  felt  a  natural 
aversion  to  be  taken  out  of  his  ignorance,  and  that  he 
struggled  against  the  workings  and  strivings  of  the  Spirit, 


300  ACTION. 

be  it  more  or  less,  wlien  that  Spirit  came  into  his  heart, 
to  enlighten  him  about  the  ways  of  God. 

Such,  then,  were  the  thoughts  of  God^s  people  in  for- 
mer times ;  very  different  are  they  now.  They  say  with 
the  Psalmist,  ^' Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord."  The 
Spirit  of  God  has  taught  them  that  ^^  there  is  a  way 
which  seemeth  right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are 
the  ways  of  death ;"  and  that  there  is  another  way  of 
which  it  is  written,  "in  the  way  of  righteousness  is  life, 
and  in  the  pathway  thereof  there  is  no  death." 

Now,  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  process  of  discovery 
is  going  on  for  a  considerable  time,  before  the  process  of 
desire  is  wrought  out  in  the  heart.  Many  a  man  is 
having  the  excellence  of  God^s  ways  set  before  him,  and 
conviction  of  their  excellence  forced  upon  his  conscience, 
before  his  heart  is  being  wrought  upon  to  respond  to  his 
judgment.  While  a  man  is  in  this  condition,  he  must 
be  very  unsettled,  in  all  probability  he  is  very  unhappy ; 
he  is  losing,  if  he  have  not  already  lost,  the  measure  of 
satisfaction  which  he  experienced  in  the  old  ways,  he  has 
not  attained  to  that  which  is  to  be  found  in  "  the  more 
excellent  way ;"  the  old  food  is  nauseous ;  the  new  he  has 
not  power  to  eat.  And  here  we  see  how  a  true  work  upon 
the  soul  must  be  begun,  continued,  and  ended  in  the 
Spirit ;  He  must  not  only  give  the  power  of  leaving  the 
old  way,  but  also  that  of  entering  on  the  new ;  and  when 
He  is  carrying  on  this  latter  part  of  the  work.  He  teaches 
the  soul  to  cry  in  earnest,  such  words  as  those  before  us 
now,  "  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord,  I  will  walk  in  Thy 
truth." 

The  ideas,  then,  of  those  who  are  under  the  teaching 
of  the  Spirit,  are,  in  this  matter  of  "  the  ways  of  God," 


ACTION.  301 

entirely  distinct  from  those  of  sucli  as ,  remain  in 
ignorance  of  divine  things ;  let  us  further  enquire,,  with 
what  sentiments  of  mind  do  such  pei'sons  desire  to  be 
taught?  The  answer  to  this  question  will  entirely 
depend  upon  what  their  exact  state  is,  when  the  question 
is  asked. 

Some,  who  are  under  the  early  stages  of  the  Spirit^s 
work,  simply  desire  to  have  an  end  put  to  their  perplexity 
and  discomfort;  they  do  not  know  as  yet,  that  no 
matter  what  they  learn,  they  will  be  ever  prompted, 
under  the  living  influences  of  the  Spirit,  to  desire  to 
learn  yet  more  and  more;  they  think  that  they  can  get 
some  one  teaching,  which  will  put  them  in  the  same 
road  as  that  which  is  being  travelled  by  the  children  of 
God.  There  is  ignorance  in  their  wish ;  yet  would  to 
God,  that  such  as  it  is,  it  were  shared  by  more.  When 
they  have  attained  their  desire,  and  feel  that  they  are 
indeed  upon  the  heavenly  road,  they  will  surely  pass  on 
to  a  higher  stage  of  spiritual  life,  and  desire  to  know 
more  of  God^s  way,  because  they  want  to  know  more  of 
Himself     Progression  is  the  law  of  life. 

Those,  however,  who  are  advanced  beyond  this  low 
point,  say,  "  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord,^^  with  a  higher 
aim.  They  desire  entire  conformity  of  mind  with  God, 
and  as  a  consequent,  entire  conformity  of  life.  They 
know  that  their  own  ways,  even  when  most  clear,  and 
apparently  unblameable,  may  be  very  far  from  the  ways 
of  God;  and  they  would  no  more  grieve  Him  by  an 
ignorant,  than  by  a  wilful  act.  A  wilful  act  of  sin  is  far 
more  wicked  than  an  ignorant  one;  it  will  be  visited 
with  far  severer  punishment ;  he  who  knew  his  Lord^s 
will  and  did  it  not,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes, 

D    D 


302  ACTION. 

while  lie  who  knew  it  not  shall  be  beaten  with  but  few ; 
but  the  difference  in  the  amount  oi  guilt  does  not  set  the 
mind  of  the  child  of  God  at  ease.  No  !  the  Spirit- 
taught  man  has  spiritual  sensibilities ;  he  feels  a  wound 
if  he  feel  that  he  has  broken  God's  law,  or  departed  from 
His  way,  or  left  a  portion  of  that  way  untrodden  through 
ignorance,  or  if  he  have  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 
Sensitiveness  on  these  points  is  the  consequent  of  the 
new  life,  and  it  makes  men  not  only  quick  to  do  what 
they  know  should  be  done,  but  further,  desirous  of  being 
taught  wherever  they  are  ignorant.  The  child  of  God 
aims  at  nothing  short  of  perfect  conformity  to  the  mind 
of  God;  he  wants  not  only  that  his  life  should  be 
brought  into  exact  obedience  to  all  declared  laws,  but 
that  his  mind  should  by  God's  Spirit  be  brought  into 
harmony  with  God's  rules  of  action.  He  knovv^s  that 
God  seeth  and  judgeth,  not  as  man  seeth  and  judgeth, 
that  He  has  principles  of  action  of  a  standard  infinitely 
higher  than  any  w^hich  exists  in  man's  highest  code  of 
morality,  and  so  he  says,  "  Teach  me  Thy  way." 

Dear  reader,  what  do  you  know  of  this  in  your  own 
practical  experience  ?  Have  you  been  content  with  your 
own  way,  or  with  the  laws  of  morality,  or  with  what  you 
could  pick  up  for  yourself  out  of  the  recorded  laws  of 
God ;  or  have  you  gone  further,  and  feeling  that  much 
more  could  be  attained  to,  asked  God  by  the  Spirit  to 
teach  you,  ^^  His  own  way  ?  " 

It  will,  doubtless,  be  one  of  the  delights  of  heaven, 
that  there  the  saint  shall  have  his  mind  in  perfect  con- 
formity with  the  mind  of  God,  but  need  we  wait  for 
lieaven  to  have  at  least  a  longing  for  this  ?  Oh  surely 
not;  we  may  say,  "O  teach  me  Thy  way,"  now  while  we 


ACTION.  803 

are  upon  earth.  This  recjuest  is  ever  according  to  the 
mind  of  God ;  it  is  one^  we  may  rest  assured,  that  He 
will  be  pleased  to  grant. 

It  may  be  practically  useful  to  enquire,  for  a  few 
moments,  What  it  is  that  God's  people  desire  to  knoiu, 
tvhen  they  say,  "  Teach  me  Thy  ivay."  We  may  make 
the  prayer  in  the  passage  before  us  either  generally  or 
particularly ;  no  doubt  the  people  of  G  od  do  both  con- 
tinually. 

There  are  seasons  ^i^hen  we  feel  ourselves  peculiarly 
drawn  out  in  desires  after  holiness  and  conformity  to 
God,  seasons  of  high  aspirations,  and  would  to  God  that 
we  had  them  oftener  and  that  they  lasted  longer.  At 
such  times  no  special  difficulty  is  before  the  mind,  we 
are  simply  absorbed  in  the  longing  to  be  like  God,  and 
onr  thoughts  are  expressed  in  the  Psalmist^s  words, 
'^  Teach  me  Thy  way.^^  The  meaning  of  the  prayer 
under  such  circumstances  is  this,  ^^O  Lord,  I  want  to 
be  like  Thee ;  I  want  to  know  all  that  will  be  pleasing  to 
Thee  for  me  to  do ;  I  would  understand  Thy  principles  of 
action ;  I  would  see  more  plainly  the  bomidary  lines  of 
the  path  which  Thou  markest  out  for  Thy  people ;  yea, 
I  would  see  the  lines  of  the  path  on  which  Thou  walkest 
Thine  own  self;  I  have  no  spiritual  eyesight  of  mine 
own  with  which  to  discern  all  this.  Thy  way  mnst  be 
revealed  by  Thyself,  oh,  teach  it  now  to  me.^^ 

We  may  rest  well  assured,  that  whenever  we  feel 
within  us  a  spiritual  aspiration,  it  is  capable  of  being 
productive  of  a  spiritual  result,  and  moreover  it  is 
intended  so  to  be.  Spiritual  aspirations  come  from  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  He  bestows  no  gift  which  is  not 
capable  of  putting  forth  vital  energy^  and  jpi'oducing  its 


304!  ACTION. 

own  peculiar  fruits.  The  aspiration  of  wMcli  we  have 
now  been  speaking  is  no  exception  to  the  rule ;  longing 
for  more  knowledge  of  God,  and  conformity  to  Him  in 
His  mind  and  ways_,  will  be  sure  to  make  us  cry  to  Him 
to  reveal  Himself  to  us_,  for  how  can  we  know  Him 
unless  He  manifest  Himself  to  us?  "No  man  knoweth 
the  Father  but  the  Son_,  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  will 
reveal  Him."  If,  under  such  feelings  as  these,  we  cry, 
"  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord,"  we  shall  be  sure  to  have 
an  answer.  God  will,  in  all  probability,  reveal  Himself 
more  and  more  to  us  in  His  holy  character;  He  will 
honour  us  by  letting  us  more  and  more  into  the  secrets 
of  His  mind ;  and  when  He  reveals  to  us  His  mind,  we 
shall  the  more  easily  trace  His  way.  When  we  say, 
"  Teach  me  Thy  way,"  not  under  the  pressure  of  any 
present  doubt  or  difficulty,  we  may  be  sure  that  God  will 
recognise  the  desire  to  know  Himself. 

But  who  is  there  that  does  not  know,  only,  alas !  too 
well,  the  need  of  being  taught  what  is  God^s  way  when 
placed  in  difficult  circumstances,  and  when  difficult 
questions  arise  ?  It  is  very  true,  that  if  our  py^inciples  of 
action  are  taught  us  of  God,  they  will  carry  us  through 
innumerable  difficulties,  solving  hard  questions,  pointing 
out  the  one  right  way  where  many  roads  appear  to  meet, 
but  there  are  occasions  when  such  principles  of  action 
do  not  carry  us  through  our  need.  The  fault  may  be  in 
ourselves,  but  at  such  a  time  we  need  teaching  as  to  which 
is  the  way  of  God.  We  are  now  so  circumstanced  that 
we  must  act  one  way  or  another ;  we  are  pressed  upon 
from  without,  so  that  w^e  must  decide,  and  that  perhaps 
at  once;  we  may  fail  to  trace  any  external  indications  of 
the  Divine  will ;  what  remains  for  us  but  the  Psalmist's 


ACTION.  S05 

praj^er/^' Teach  me  Thy  way?^^  We  may  confidently 
assert  that  wherever  this  prayer  is  made  in  an  earnest 
and  honest  mindj  it  will  be  respected  and  answered  by 
God ;  none  can  seek  His  glory  in  carrying  out  His  mind 
and  will  without  being  helped  to  act  for  it  by  Him. 
We  may  be  prepared  for  action ;  to  do  whatever  is  to  be 
done,  or  to  do  the  very  reverse  may  be  easy ;  the  ques- 
tion is,  ^^  what,  or  which  is  to  be  done  ?  '^  God  will 
shew,  if  we  say  in  truth  ^'  Teach  me  Thy  way." 

God  has  many  ways  of  giving  guidance  in  action, 
when  the  direction  is  thus  left  to  Him.  Sometimes  He 
will  close  up  all  avenues  except  the  right  one ;  at  times 
He  will  so  strongly  impress  the  mind,  that  there  can  be 
no  doubt  but  that  He  is  speaking  to  it ;  or  He  will, 
perhaps,  give  a  wonderful  unanimity  of  judgment  to 
those  who  are  consulted  about  the  matter,  so  that 
looking  at  the  question  even  from  different  points  of 
view  they  still  come  to  the  same  conclusion ;  it  may  be 
that  He  will  not  use  any  of  these  means,  but  will  so 
order  incidental  circumstances,  that  they  may  gently  and 
almost  imperceptibly  put  us  into  such  a  position,  that  we 
can  act  in  but  one  way ;  he  who  says  ^'  what  or  which 
is  the  way  of  God  ?  "  shall  never  be  left  unguided. 

If  we  turn  to  Psalm  xxxii,  8,  we  have  a  beautiful 
promise  of  guidance,  which  is  well  worth  our  considera- 
tion, from  the  way  in  which  that  guidance  is  to  be  given ; 
"  I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye."  What  is  the  promise 
here  ?  That  of  guidance.  How  is  this  guidance  to  be 
given?     By  the  eye. 

By  some  no  doubt  it  will  be  said,  "  Guidance !  well, 
after  all  that  is  not  much;  we  have  sufficient  sense  to 
guide  ourselves;  we  have  the  Scripture,  that  is  guide 

D   D   2 


306  ACTION. 

enough ;  we  do  not  want  a  religion  that  deals  in 
specialities;  we  understand  no  such  peculiarities  as 
'guidance  with  the  eye/"  This  is  no  uncommon 
language  from  the  worlds  and  very  often  when  men 
shrink  from  saying  this,  they  by  no  means  slirink 
from  acting  it  out.  But  God^s  people  recognise  in 
the  promise  of  guidance  a  most  valuable  blessing.  They 
know  their  position  here_,  that  they  are  strangers  and 
pilgrims;  they  know  how  many  roads  cross,  or  for 
a  time  run  parallel  with,  the  way  of  life;  they  are 
not  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  myriads  of  evil  spirits, 
whose  sole  aim  is  to  seduce  them  from  the  narrow  path, 
who  spend  every  energy  in  trying  to  ruin  their  souls ; 
all  this  they  know;  and  they  know  moreover  that  if 
left  to  themselves  they  must  be  seduced  and  finally 
fall  away.  The  people  of  God  know  their  need  of 
continual  guidance,  and  that,  in  every  day  life,  as 
well  as  in  their  purely  spiritual  things,  in  little  matters 
as  well  as  great.  But  this  is  not  always  known  at  once. 
Some  of  the  Lord^s  dear  people  have  thought  that  they 
could  guide  themselves ;  they  were  well-intentioned ;  they 
really  wished  to  do  what  was  right ;  they  were  possessed 
of  excellent  natural  abilities,  but  with  all  these  advantages 
they  have  gone  deplorably  wrong.  God  let  them  go 
their  own  way  for  a  while,  just  to  teach  them  that  their 
way  was  not  His,  and  that  it  was  only  so  far  as  they 
were  under  guidance  that  they  were  safe. 

There  are  some  who  it  seems  must  be  taught  in  this 
manner,  or  else  they  will  not  learn  at  all,  no  doubt  such 
are  saved,  but  no  doubt  also  such  are  sorely  bruised. 

In  what  position  are  you,  dear  reader,  standing  now ; 
have  you  learned  your  need  of  guidance ;  does  this  appeal 


ACTION.  307 

to  your  experience ;  are  these  matters  well  known  to  you; 
or  do  you  think  they  are  things  with  which  ordinary 
people  have  nothing  at  all  to  do?  The  Lord^s  people 
know  well  that  this  guidance  is  a  matter  of  positive 
necessity.  It  is  not  more  necessary  that  a  little  child  of 
two  or  three  years  of  age  should  be  guided  in  the 
crowded  street^  than  that  they  should.  It  does  not 
matter  how  old  or  how  wise  we  are,  or  how  good  our 
natural  abilities,  or  how  often  we  have  guided  others, 
and  ad\dsed  them  well  in  their  temporal  affairs ;  we  need 
guidance  in  eveiy thing,  in  every  place,  and  every  day. 

Let  us  enquire  what  is  our  present  standing  ?  Have 
we  entered  God^s  family,  and  learned  to  look  into  the 
Father's  face;  have  we  been  espoused  to  Christ,  and 
learned  to  read  His  looks ;  do  we  feel  that  we  cannot  do 
w^hat  is  right,  imless  we  be  specifically  taught  of  God  ? 

The  phrase  "  doing  what  is  right,"  must  not  now  be 
taken  in  the  low  sense  which  is  generally  given  to  it  by 
many  in  the  world.  They  mean  by  it,  coming  to 
church,  and  giving  subscriptions  (generally  the  stereo- 
typed '^  guinea'')  to  charities,  and  having  family  prayers, 
and  paying  their  debts,  and  keeping  good  company,  and 
being  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  the  words  ''  good 
living  people."  But  God's  guidance  leads  a  man  far 
beyond  all  these.  All  these  can  be  done  without  any 
guidance  from  heaven  at  all.  What  is  now  meant  by 
"  doing  right,"  is  acting  consistently  as  a  member  of  the 
family  of  God.  When  we  are  placed  in  delicate  and 
difficult  circumstances,  when  all  ordinary  landmarks  are 
removed,  when  our  usual  counsellors  are  silent,  when 
even  outward  providential  circumstances  are  withheld, 
are  there  such   communications  passing  between  God's 


308  ACTION. 

mind  and  ours^  that  we  can  feel  tliat  we  are  under 
His  guidance?  Can  we  hear  God  speaking  to  us 
when  there  is  not  a  sound?  can  we  see  Him  when 
there  is  not  a  sign?  can  we  read  where  nothing  is 
written  ?  have  we  the  intelligence  of  love  ? 

Say,  in  what  does  the  perfection  of  home  relationship 
consist  ?  is  it  in  the  fact  that  meals  are  spread  at  proper 
hours,  that  cleanliness  is  the  characteristic  of  the  house, 
that  there  is  no  open  jarring  or  quari'clling,  no  gross 
violation  of  well  known  rules,  and  such  like  things  ?  All 
these  have  their  value  in  the  happiness  of  home ;  but  the 
perfection  of  happiness  requires  something  more.  The 
gross,  or  to  use  a  gentler  term,  the  unrefined  mind 
will  be  content  with  such  things  as  are  catalogued  above; 
but  there  are  other  minds  too  highly  polished,  too  finely 
strung  for  this ;  their  estimate  of  what  the  happiness  of 
home  should  be,  is  pitched  too  high  to  be  reached  by 
what  might  be  called  the  common  decencies  and  civilities 
of  life. 

No !  the  perfection  of  home  relationship  consists  in 
the  intuitive  understanding  of  each  other's  heart,  in  the 
mutual  possession  of  that  secret,  which  makes  one  look 
stand  for  many  words,  yea,  for  feelings,  which  the  great 
Creator  never  intended  to  be  expressed  in  words  at  all ; 
such  an  instrumentality  as  this,  stands  in  the  place  of  a 
thousand  rules ;  and  gives  guidance,  and  direction,  in 
countless  emergencies,  and  difficulties,  and  apparently 
little  things.  This  is  what  makes  brethren  dwell  together 
in  unity ;  what  anoints  the  wheels  of  life,  so  that  they 
never  creak  and  jar;  no,  not  when  they  have  to  bear  the 
heaviest  load,  or  have  to  go  over  the  roughest  road ;  this 
is  like  the  ointment  which  flowed  do^n  upon  the  skirts  of 


ACTION.  30^ 

the  High  Priest's  robe;  who  can  tell  what  springs  up 
beneath  it,  for  it  is  as  the  dew  of  Hermon,  and  as  the 
dew  that  descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion  ?  And 
now,  come  back  from  all  earthly  homes,  to  the  matter 
which  they  have  been  illustrating,  and  remember  that 
as  in  them,  so  also  in  the  family  of  God,  much  is 
required,  for  which  there  is  no  rule,  no  guide,  but  the 
intuition  of  love ;  no  remembrancer  but  (not  the  decla- 
ration, but)  the  expression  of  God's  mind ;  and  is  it  not 
an  inestimable  blessing  to  all  who  wish  to  be  one  with  God, 
that  they  have  given  to  them  the  promise  which  we  have 
been  considering  now  ?  Oh,  that  we  so  continually  fixed 
our  minds  upon  our  Father's  face,  that  we  so  daily  gazed 
upon  His  looks,  and  that  we  were  filled,  yea,  so  fully, 
with  His  love,  that  we  needed  neither  bit  nor  bridle, 
neither  goad  nor  rod,  nothing  but  a  look,  nothing  but 
the  fulfilment  of  the  promise,  '^  I  will  guide  thee  with 
mine  eye." 

May  God  give  to  all  who  read  these  lines,  that  delicate 
organization  of  heart,  by  which  they  shall  have  intuitive 
understanding  of  His  look,  and  mind,  and  will.  Oh 
may  He  separate  us  more  and  more  from  the  grossness 
of  mind,  which  requires  the  bridle  or  the  goad ;  oh  may 
He  refine  us  by  the  mysterious  processes  of  His  un- 
earthly love;  then,  in  the  midst  of  all  perplexity,  we 
shall  not  be  confused;  in  the  midst  of  all  failm'e  we 
shall  not  be  cast  down ;  but  calmly  and  peacefully  shall 
we  pass  onward  to  our  rest,  as  safe  in  the  darkness  as  in 
the  light,  by  the  precipice  as  in  the  plain,  in  the  crowd 
as  when  alone ;  each  child  of  God  a  traveller  through  a 
strange  land  to  his  own  bright  home,  wayfaring,  it  is 
true,  yet  wayfaring  in  the  security  of  a  promise  from 


310  ACTION. 

above,  hearing  at  every  hard  pass  of  his  onward  path, 
the  promise  we  have  here,  a  promise  from  the  eternal 
God  Himself,  "  I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye/^ 

Thus,  then,  the  people  of  the  Lord  desire  teaching, 
and  that  from  Him,  preparatory  to  action.  They  want 
to  know  God^s  will,  in  order  that  they  may  do  it, 
"Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Lord,  I  will  walk  in  Thy 
truth." 

Honesty  of  mind  is  a  characteristic  of  every  man  really 
horn  again  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Spirit-taught  man 
is  led  to  say,  without  any  reserve  or  limitation,  "  I  will 
walk."  There  are  many  who  are  prepared  to  go  so  far, 
but  no  further.  They  will  carry  out  God's  teaching, 
provided  it  does  not  make  too  great  demands  upon  them. 
Perhaps  such  persons  are  not  themselves  conscious  of  the 
state  of  mind  in  which  they  are.  They  think  that  they 
are  prepared  for  everything ;  and  so  they  are  "  for  every- 
thing they  know;"  but  what  if  God  set  before  them 
something  much  harder  than  anything  that  had  ever 
entered  even  into  their  imagination  ?  We  have  such  a 
case  as  this  brought  before  us  in  Matthew  xix,  16.  A 
young  man  comes  to  Jesus  and  says,  '^'^Good  Master, 
what  good  thing  shall  I  do  that  I  may  have  eternal  life  ?" 
Jesus  puts  forth  the  moral  law,  as  a  simple  answer  to  his 
question,  for  no  doubt  if  he  kept  that,  without  a  single 
flaw,  he  could  be  saved  by  it ;  "  if  he  did,"  but  who  ever 
did  ?  who  ever  could,  save  Jesus  ?  and  then  proceeding 
yet  further.  He  says  to  Him,  "  if  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go 
and  sell  that  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven,  and  come  and  follow  Me. 
But  when  the  young  man  heard  that  saying,  he  went 
away  sorrowful ;  for  he  had  great  possessions." 


ACTION.  311 

Here  was  indeed  a  hard  trial,  an  opening  up  of  a  path 
far  more  difficult  than  had  ever  entered  into  this  young 
man^s  mind ;  and  the  hard  trial  discovers  limitations, 
and  reservations,  vrhich  otherwise  might  never  have  been 
perceived.  Would  a  like  trial  discover  like  imperfections 
in  ourselves  ? 

If  indeed  we  know  ourselves,  we  shall  almost  tremble 
at  this  thought;  we  shall  feel  the  aw^ul  solemnity  of 
saying  such  words  as  these,  "Teach  me  Thy  way,  O 
Lord,  I  will  walk  in  Thy  truth  ;^^  and  yet  we  shall  not 
dare  to  hold  back  from  making  them  our  own. 

How  can  we  be  true-hearted,  and  yet  hold  back  ! 
What  then  shall  we  do  ?  Let  us  prepare  to  pray  the 
Psalmist^s  words,  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts ;  let  us 
also  prepare  to  make  his  determination,  in  deep  reality 
of  soul.  True  !  there  is  something  awful  in  this ;  but  if 
we  know  our  weakness,  and  simply  rely  upon  Divine 
strength,  we  shall  be  carried  through ;  God  Himself  will 
undergird  us  for  the  storm-tossed  waters,  through  which 
we  may  be  called  upon  to  sail ;  by  Him  shall  we  be  shod 
for  the  rough  road  on  which  we  may  be  called  upon  to 
tread ;  and  we  shall  be  enabled  to  carry  out,  as  well  as 
make  the  determination  of  the  Psalmist,  which  is  before 
us  now.  Who  can  tell  whither  such  a  walk  will  lead 
him  upon  earth ;  whither,  when  he  has  done  with  earth 
for  ever  ? 


313 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


THE  "I  WILL"  OF  HEAETINESS  IIS"  ACTION. 


Psalm  cxix,  32.  "  I  loill  run  tJie  way  of  Thy  commandments, 
when  Thou  shalt  enlarge  my  lieart" 

THE:  great  Pliysiciau  knows  at  once  where  to  look  for 
the  cause,  when  He  sees  anything  amiss  in  the 
outward  life  of  His  people.  He  well  knows  that  aU 
spiritual  disease  is  heart  disease,  and  it  is  heart  remedies 
that  He  must  apply.  At  one  time,  our  Physician  sees 
symptoms  which  are  violent  in  their  nature ;  at  another, 
He  sees  symptoms  of  languor  and  debility;  but  He 
knows  that  both  come  from  the  heart ;  and  so,  it  is  upon 
the  heart  that  He  operates,  when  He  is  about  to  perform 
a  cui*e. 

The  strong  action  of  the  heart  in  all  holy  things  comes 
from  the  blessed  operation  of  the  Spirit  upon  it ;  then 
only  can  w^e  run  the  way  of  God^s  commandments,  when 
He  has  enlarged  our  heart. 

Heartiness  in  Action  is  the  subject  to  which  the 
reader's  attention  is  here  directed,  and  it  is  one  of  con- 
siderable importance. 

There  are  many  believers,  who  for  want  of  enlargement 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  313 

of  heart  are  occupying  a  poor  position  in  the  church  of 
God.  They  are  trusting  to  Jesus  for  life  eternal^  and 
He  will  doubtless  not  disappoint  them ;  He  will  be  true 
to  His  word,  that  "he  that  believeth  shall  be  saved;" 
but  they  are  stilly,  alas !  to  a  deplorable  degree^  shut  up 
in  self;  they  have  contracted  hearts ;  still  do  they  take 
narrow  views  of  God^s  claims,  and  their  own  privileges, 
and  the  position  in  which  they  are  set  in  the  world ;  and 
however  much  they  might  be  said  to  stand,  or  sit,  or 
walk  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments,  they  cannot 
be  said  to  "  run''  in  it.  Running  is  a  strong  and  healthy 
action  of  the  body ;  it  requires  energy,  it  is  an  exercise 
that  needs  a  sound  heart  j  none  can  run  in  the  way  of 
God's  commandments,  except  in  strength  and  vigour 
imparted  by  Him.  The  running  Christians  are  com- 
paratively few;  walking  and  sitting  Christians  are 
comparatively  common ;  but  the  running  Christian  is  so 
uncommon,  as  often  to  be  thought  almost  mad. 

Let  us,  for  the  sake  of  order,  classify  our  observations 
on  this  subject^  under  the  following  heads : — 
I.     What  Heartiness  is. 
II.     Tf^hat  Heartiness  does. 

III.     Whence  Heartiness  comes. 

The  Heartiness  spoken  of  here  under  the  term  "  en- 
largement of  the  heart,"  is  cheerfulness  in  doing  God's 
will — love  for  that  wiU — a  drawing  out  of  the  affections 
towards  it — an  interest  in  it ;  aU  this  it  is,  and  a  great 
deal  more,  which  it  is  not  easy  to  describe  or  define. 

A  good  deal  may  be  done  by  a  man  in  the  way  of 
keeping  God's  commandments,  especially  His  prohibitive 
ones,  without  his  possessing  anything  worthy  of  being 
called  enlargement  of  heart.     A  man  need  not  have  an 

E    E 


314  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

enlarged  hearty  to  enable  him  to  keep  his  hands  from 
picking  and  stealings  and  his  tongue  from  evil  speaking, 
lying,  and  slandering ;  nor  to  enable  him  to  perform  any 
specified  acts  of  duty  which  come  before  him  with  all 
the  force  and  authority  of  law;  his  affections  have 
nothing  to  say  to  this  obedience ;  he  obeys  because  he 
thinks  he  ought  to  obey ;  he  might  be  fitly  described_,  as 
keeping  within  the  bound  of  a  commandment,  (so  far  as 
man  can  do)  but  not  as  running  in  the  way  of  it. 

We  are  very  ready  to  admit  that  true  religion  has  to 
do  with  man^s  judgment,  and  his  conscience ;  would  that 
it  were  readily  and  practically  admitted,  that  it  has  to 
do  with  the  affections  also.  Alas  !  how  much  coldness 
may  there  be  in  a  man,  whose  judgment  is  sound  upon 
the  question  of  the  excellence  of  God^s  commandments. 
Such  an  one  may  approve  them,  may  see  that  they  are 
pre-eminently  suited  for  the  governance  of  man,  may 
believe  that  he  will  best  consult  his  happiness  by 
observing  them,  and  that  he  can  never  violate  them 
without  entailing  upon  himself  both  misery  and  loss ;  he 
may  be  a  philosopher  in  holy  things,  and  yet  have  no 
heartiness  for  God's  commandments,  have  no  insight 
into  their  principles,  which  have  their  foundation  in  the 
very  nature  of  God.  Our  judgment  may  be  well 
informed,  and  we  may  act  upon  it  in  all  we  do,  and  aU 
we  abstain  from,  as  regards  the  commandments  of  God  ; 
but  let  us  be  assured,  that  oui'  judgment  never  can  make 
us  hearty,  in  running  the  way  of  His  commandments. 

Nor  can  our  conscience.  Conscience  can  make  us  do 
things  because  we  ought  to  do  them,  and  leave  them 
undone  because  we  ought  not  to  do  them,  but  it  cannot 
make  us  hearty  in  our  obedience.     It  is  highly  possible 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  315 

to  perform  a  duty,  and  in  a  certain  sense  to  do  it  well, 
and  yet  not  to  have  our  heart  in  it  at  all. 

Where  there  is  enlargement  of  the  heart  by  God, 
there  is  an  outgoing  beyond  all  the  limits  which  fallen 
selfishness  assigns.  The  heart  contracted  at  the  fall ;  it 
shrank  when  sin  entered  into  it;  it  became  unequal  to 
containing  great  and  generous  thoughts ;  it  became  a 
bondaged  heart.  True  !  the  responsibilities  of  duty  could 
not  be  escaped,  nor  could  the  directions  of  conscience, 
but  the  affections  are  voluntary,  and  the  fallen  heart 
drew  in  its  affections  from  God ;  it  felt  that  it  had  the 
power  of  withholding  them  from  Him  and  His  com- 
mandments, and  it  rejoiced  to  shew  its  enmity,  in  with- 
holding its  sympathy,  where  it  could  not  withhold  its 
obedience.  There  is  sin,  there  is  the  development  of 
fallen  nature  at  the  root  of  all  want  of  Heartiness  in 
action  for  God.  What  an  aspect,  then,  will  many  of  the 
performances  of  duty  wear  in  the  day  when  all  things 
are  revealed  in  their  real  light;  how  will  it  be  found, 
that  man  had  withheld  from  them  all  he  had  to  give, 
i.  e.,  his  heart.  There  is  no  thank  to  him  for  not  with- 
holding the  assent  of  his  conscience,  and  the  opinion  of 
his  judgment;  what  he  had  to  give  is  wanting;  it  was 
the  heart  that  Christ  wanted,  what  good  are  those  works 
in  which  it  is  not  found  ? 

Now,  as  we  have  already  said,  where  the  heart  is 
operated  on  by  the  Spirit,  and  all  its  natural  evil  over- 
ruled, it  has  outgoings  which  are  entirely  beyond  the 
limits  that  fallen  selfishness  assigns.  Love  is  inwrought 
with  it,  the  union  of  sentiment,  the  identity  of  interest 
which  love  inspires,  pervade  it,  in  all  belonging  to  God, 
for  it  has  received  these  from  God ;  the  heart  becomes 


316  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

unbondaged  from  mere  rules_,  or  perhaps  to  speak  more 
correctly,  it  rises  above  them,  and  it  feels — not  merely  it 
knows,  but  it  feels — so  much  of  the  beauty  of  God's 
commandments,  that  it  delights  to  run  in  them ;  it  loves  to 
be  hearty  in  them ;  its  interests,  its  affections  are  in  them. 
It  is  very  possible  that  both  writer  and  reader  feel 
ashamed,  and  ready  to  judge  themselves  when  they  look 
at  much  past,  or  perhaps  present  service  in  this  light. 
How  often  have  we  done  just  as  much  as  we  felt  ourselves 
obliged  to  do,  and  no  more ;  how  often  have  we  done  a 
good  deal,  and  yet  had  no  heart  for  doing,  or  in  doing 
it?  Much  of  our  work  has  been  a  labour  to  us,  and 
some  of  God's  commandments  have  been  grievous  to  us, 
for  want  of  this  heartiness  which  would  have  made  all 
joyous  and  pleasant;  let  us  seek,  dear  reader  to  have 
our  hearts  opened  out  to  God — to  have  them  enlarged  to 
take  in  great  thoughts  about  Him,  and  His  work — to 
have  them  ennobled  to  make  great  plans  and  efforts  for 
Him — to  have  them  capable  of  energy,  even  the  energy  of 
love,  in  all  they  do  for  Him.  It  makes  all  the  difference 
whether  we  run,  or  walk,  in  the  way  of  God's  command- 
ments. The  word  ^^walk,"  is  used  to  denote  the  habitual 
obedience  of  divine  life ;  but  the  word  to  "  run,"  signifies 
its  energy  :  "  I  will  run  the  way  of  Thy  commandments, 
when  Thou  shalt  enlarge  my  heart." 

Let  us  now  see  what  Heartiness  does. 

Heartiness  in  action  has  a  good  effect  on  others. 
Even  in  ordinary  society  we  see  how  much  effect  one 
gloomy,  unwilling,  or  desponding  nature  can  have  on 
others.  Even  without  any  active  opposition,  such  an 
one  is  able  to  damp  the  energies,  or  enjoyments,  of  those 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  317 

around;  and  on  the  other  hand^  we  see  how, one  who  is 
hearty,  and  joyous,  and  goes  about  whatever  is  to  be 
done  with  a  will,  is  able  to  infuse  spirit  into  those,  who 
otherwise  would  have  dragged  heavily  through  their  work. 
The  presence  of  a  hearty  Christian  seems  to  infuse 
oxygen  into  the  very  atmosphere  around ;  there  is  some- 
thing effervescing,  and  sparkling  in  such  an  one,  which 
drives  away  surrounding  heaviness  and  gloom ;  and 
often  those,  with  whom  such  an  one  comes  into  contact, 
find  out  for  the  first  time,  from  what  another  is  doing, 
what  they  themselves  can  do. 

Try,  dear  reader,  to  be  a  living"energy,  and  not  a  dead 
weight  in  the  spiritual  world ;  to  be  a  sunbeam,  and  not  a 
murky  cloud;  to  be  an  electric  spark  kindling  fire  in 
others'  hearts,  and  not  a  wet  blanket  putting  out  and 
smothering  the  smoking  flax.  There  are  such  things  as 
sympathy  and  influence  in  man's  contact  with  his  fellow 
man ;  what  influence  have  we  exercised  ;  what  sympathy 
have  we  drawn  others  into  with  ourselves ;  what  have  we 
been  to  them  in  the  congregation  of  which  we  are  mutual 
members — in  the  family — in  any  enterprize  in  which  they 
and  we  were  associated — in  fact,  in  all  the  relationships 
and  events  of  life,  in  which  we  came  in  contact  with 
each  other?  We  have,  perhaps,  often  been  hinderers 
and  impeders,  and  our  want  of  heartiness  has  damped 
the  ardour  of  others.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  have 
been  really  alive  in  the  cause  of  the  Lord,  have  we  not 
helped  on  others ;  have  not  they  commenced  to  act  v/hen 
they  saw  us  in  action ;  have  not  they  found  out,  that 
they  also  could  do  good,  and  that  it  was  pleasant  to  do 
good,  when  they  were  led  on  to  try,  by  the  kindling  effect 
of  our  life  in  action  for  God  ? 

E   E   2 


318  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

This  Heartiness  in  Action  embraces  a  large  circle. 
The  circle  in  which  a  man  hearty  for  God  moves,  and 
acts_,  is  one  ever  widening  and  increasing ;  a  man  that 
runs  in  the  way  of  God^s  commandments  does  not  keep 
running  round  and  round,  always  within  the  same  cir- 
cumference, but  in  one  that  increases  continually.  It 
may  be  that  when  the  spiritual  power  was  small,  the 
sphere  of  action  was  small  also,  but  as  the  spiritual  power 
increases,  so  does  the  sphere  also.  This  must  be  so;  for 
Heartiness  in  the  divine  life  is  incompressible,  and  it 
must  find  a  vent,  it  must  find  a  sphere  in  which  to  act. 
This  is  true  even  under  the  most  untoward  circumstances. 
Take  the  case  of  a  Christian,  strong  and  vigorous  in 
spiritual  life,  but  reduced  so  low  in  the  body  that  he 
cannot  leave  his  bed ;  his  means  are  small,  his  contact 
with  his  fellow  creatures  is  limited;  he  surely  has  no 
circle  in  which  his  heart  can  throb  with  living  energies, 
each  pulsation  being  followed  by  some  positive  result;  — 
so  we  should  think  —but  let  us  remember  that  the  body 
does  not  chain  the  mind,  and  that  that  sick  man's 
interests  and  prayers  may  pervade  a  circle  v/hich 
embraces  every  church  of  God,  and  every  believer  upon 
earth !  "What  wider  sphere  of  action  can  any  man 
desire  than  this  ?  And  this  is  open  to  the  bed-ridden  and 
the  maimed ;  by  prayer  the  lever  can  be  moved  which 
moves  the  world,  and  the  sick  man  can  pray,  and  if  he 
be  hearty  in  the  action,  he  can  move,  and  act,  in  a  circle 
too  large  for  any  bodily  energy  to  pervade.  It  is  true, 
wc  have  taken  an  extreme  case  :  but  what,  if  one  thus 
circumstanced  be  proved  to  have  exercised  more  real 
spiritual  power  than  many  of  us  whose  every  faculty  is 
perfect,  whose  bodily  energies  are  unimpaked  ? 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  319 

Let  the  reader  search  himself  as  to  how  large  a  circle 
he  is  pervading — as  to  whether  he  be  pervading  any  circle 
at  all.  The  merchant  who  is  hearty  in  his  desires  for 
wealthy  and  in  his  action  in  the  mercantile  world, 
pervades  a  large  circle ;  he  has  to  do  with  persons  and 
things  almost  at  the  ends  of  the  earth;  his  energies 
have  driven  him  out  into  this  great  circumference  of 
action;  and  whither,  dear  reader,  have  your  energies, 
your  heartiness,  driven  you  forth  ?  Have  you  had  living 
impulses,  which  forbade  you  to  be  centred,  to  tarry  in 
self? 

Remember  that  where  the  heart  is  strong  in  its  action, 
it  drives  the  blood  to  the  extremities.  If  the  blood  be 
not  well  driven  into  the  limbs,  they  are  weak  in  action, 
and  unless  it  be  driven  to  the  extremities,  the  very  parts 
which  have  to  act  grow  cold.  Our  most  distant  point 
in  action,  our  most  remote  means  of  operating  therein, 
should  be  under  the  influence  of  the  strong  vitality  of 
the  heart.  Ours  is  a  centralized  system,  and  the  centre 
is  the  heart ;  and  one  reason  why  interest  so  often  flags 
in  the  outer  verge  of  our  circle,  and  why  our  action 
there  is  weak,  is,  because  we  have  not  strength  to  drive 
out  our  energies  and  sympathies  beyond  those  inner 
circles  which  are  closest  to  our  heart.  For  example, 
here  is  a  man  who  can  act  within  the  circle  of  his  own 
family,  but  he  is  not  hearty  enough  to  fill  a  circle  which 
would  embrace  in  its  action  for  God,  neighbours  and 
friends;  here  is  another  who  can  not  only  act  in  his 
own  family,  but  also  amongst  neighbours  and  friends,  but 
he  cannot  go  forth  to  those  who  are  without,  and  who 
are  unconnected  with  him  by  any  visible  responsibility 
or  ties.     Nothing  but  an  enlargement  of  the  heart  by 


320  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

the  Holy  Spirit  will  send  him  forth ;  and  make  him  to 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  apostle's  words^  '^  Look 
not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man  also  on 
the  things  of  others  •/'  and  make  him  copy  the  example 
of  the  One  of  whom  it  is  written,  "  But  Grod  commendeth 
His  love  toward  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners 
Christ  died  for  us/' 

Let  us  also  notice  that  this  Heartiness  honours  our  pro- 
fession. We  cannot  but  perceive  how  much  the  religion  of 
Christ  suffers  in  the  world  from  the  want  of  Heartiness  in 
action  shewn  by  its  professors.  One  half  the  zeal  shewn 
by  the  heathen  in  their  false  religion,  would  soon  startle 
the  world,  if  it  were  shewn  in  the  disciples  of  Christ ;  but 
it  is  not  shewn;  and  it  is  impossible  to  read  of  the 
liberality  of  the  heathen  to  their  false  gods,  and  their 
self-sacrifices,  and  pains,  without  asking  '^  Where  amongst 
any  of  the  churches  shall  we  find  in  the  mass  of  their 
members,  a  heartiness  of  action  similar  to  this  P""^     One 

*  The  Hindoos  when  gathering  in  their  harvest,  before  it  is  re- 
moved from  the  threshing  floor,  take  out  the  portion  for  their  god. 
However  poor,  or  however  small  their  crops  may  be,  their  god's 
portion  is  given  fii'st. 

The  Rev.  J.  J.  Weitbrecht  says,  in  his  "  Protestant  Missions  in 
Bengal,  illustrated,"  "  My  readers  will  be  surprised  to  hear  how 
much  wealthy  natives*  spend  upon  their  idols.  I  once  visited  the 
Rajah  of  Burdwan,  and  found  him  sitting  in  his  treasury.  Fifty 
bags  of  money,  containing  1000  rupees  (£100)  in  each,  were  placed 
before  him.  *  AVhat,'  said  I,  '  are  you  doing  with  all  this  money  ?* 
He  replied,  *  it  is  for  my  gods.'  '  How  do  you  mean  that  ?'  I  re- 
joined. *  One  part  is  sent  to  Benares,  where  I  have  two  fine 
temples  on  the  river  side,  and  many  priests  who  pray  for  me ; 
another  part  goes  to  Juggernaut ;  and  a  third  to  Gay  a.'  And  thus 
one  native  is  spending  £25,000  annually  from  his  princely  income 
upon  idle  Brahmins." 


HEARTINESS   IN    ACTION.  321 

would  think,  that  "  rest/^  not  ^'  action/^  was  the  rule  and 
privilege  of  a  Christianas  life ;  but  it  is  neither  the  one  nor 
the  other;  his  privilege  is  rest  for  his  soul;  his  rule  must 
be  action  for  the  energies — rest  in  justification  in  Christ^ s 
blood — action  in  sanctification  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
religion  of  Christ  sufiers  more  harm  from  the  inaction  of 
its  professors,  than  from  the  action  of  its  enemies ;  and  be 
it  observed,  it  suffers  not  only  from  their  inaction,  from 
their  not  doing  anything,  but  also  very  often  from  the  way 
in  which  they  do  that  to  which  they  put  their  hand.  The 
half-heartedness  of  God^s  people  in  action  goes  far  towards 
persuading  the  people  of  the  world  that  their  religion  is 
no  better  than  a  form ;  they  are  keen  observers,  not  only 
of  what  we  do,  but  of  how  we  do  it,  and  they  will  often 
judge  of  Christ^ s  religion,  not  by  its  abstract  principles^ 
but  by  the  way  in  which  we  carry  them  out. 

Let  us  take  the  one  instance  of  Giving;  "  Giving'^  is 
one  form  of  action  for  God ;  and  what  is  the  aspect  which 
in  this  particular  many  of  the  Lord^s  people  present  to  the 
world  ?  Where  is  their  heartiness  in  it  ?  Can  they  say 
that  their  profession,  or  their  position  in  the  church  of 
God  is  honoured  by  the  way  in  which  they  do  it  ?  In 
how  many  instances  is  this  only  the  giving  of  form,  and 
not  the  giving  of  decided  action.  '^Honour  the  Lord 
with  thy  substance,  and  with  the  first-fruits  of  all  thine 
increase,^ ^  is  surely  as  much  binding  upon  the  Christian 
as  the  Jew ;  let  us  be  assured,  that  a  great  sympathetic 
nerve  runs  between  the  heart  and  the  pocket ;  a  large 
heart  and  a  large  hand  befit  each  other.  Why  should 
£1  Is.  be  the  stereotyped  form  of  expressing  the  state  of 
a  Christian's  heart? 

There  are  some,  however,  who  while  reading  this,  may 


322  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

sigh,  and  say,  "  Such  a  sum  would  be  beyond  my  reach 
to  give/^  Let  such  remember  that  there  are  many  who 
are  steeped  in  poverty,  who  yet  are  rich  indeed  in  action, 
according  to  their  opportunity,  and  who  are  accepted 
^'  according  to  what  they  have,  and  not  according  to  what 
they  have  not."  How  much  do  we  learn  from  the  case 
of  the  poor  widow,  and  her  two  mites  !  we  may  be  per- 
mitted to  digress  for  a  moment  to  consider  it. 

Look  at  the  position  of  this  widow  in  life,  and  in  the 
temple ;  neither  in  life,  nor  in  the  temple,  was  she  any- 
body in  the  world's  estimation.  She  was  so  very  poor, 
that  when  she  threw  in  the  two  mites,  our  Lord  describes 
her  as  having  cast  in  ^^  all  that  she  had,  even  all  her 
living."  No  doubt  she  fared  hard  in  worldly  sustenance  j 
her  lodging  was  the  meanest,  her  food  the  scantiest,  her 
raiment  the  coarsest,  and  she  had  all  the  accompaniments 
of  poverty,  bitterness,  and  reproach,  and  neglect,  and 
want.  And  what  she  was  in  the  outer  world,  that  also, 
as  far  as  man  was  concerned,  was  she  in  the  temple 
of  the  Lord.  We  can  imagine,  how  the  servants  of  the 
man  clothed  with  purple  and  fine  linen  thrust  her  out 
of  the  way ;  how  the  Pharisee,  with  his  broad  fringed 
garment,  swept  by  her  in  all  the  pomp  and  circumstance 
of  religious  state ;  how  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the 
rich  gathered  in  their  ample  robes,  lest  they  should  be 
soiled  by  contact  with  such  beggarly  attire;  no  one 
thought  it  worth  his  while  to  notice  her,  unless  it  were 
to  despise;  and  yet  she,  and  she  alone,  receives  the 
commendation  of  the  Lord. 

Now  what  is  this  widow,  as  she  appears  in  this  scene, 
but  a  very  type  or  picture  of  the  general  condition  of 
the  true  church  of  God  ?     That  church  is  for  the  most 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  323 

part  liidden_,  as  regards  the  attainment  in  the  world's  eye 
of  any  position,  either  in  temporal  or  spiritual  things. 
There  are  but  few  of  the  Lord's  true  people  who  make 
much  figure  in  the  world;  and  the  general  opinion 
entertained  of  them  is  very  mean  and  low.  There  is 
nothing  more  common  than  to  find  men  dwelling  upon 
the  miserable  poverty  of  the  saints,  and  thinking  them 
absolutely  poor.  But  poor  as  they  doubtless  are,  they 
are  the  possessors  of  title  deeds  of  exceeding  wealth. 
This  poor  widow  had  no  doubt  engraven  upon  her  heart 
the  choice  promises  of  God,  which  made  over  heavenly 
estates  to  such  as  made  over  their  hearts  to  Him.  And 
I  would  that  the  children  of  the  kingdom  dwelt  more 
upon  the  actual  possessions  which  are  to  be  theirs  ! 
They  are  too  dim  and  shadowy,  too  misty  and  undefined 
in  their  hopes;  they  are  to  have  what  is  substantial, 
what  is  actual,  and  real,  and  in  their  depths  of  earthly 
poverty  they  ought  to  think  of  this.  A  realization  of 
the  substantial  nature  of  this  future  property  will  make 
them  feel  the  value  of  the  position  which  now  they 
hold,  as  children  of  God — the  position,  to  which  this  pro- 
perty is  attached ;  though  all  that  appear  on  earth  be  the 
two  mites,  in  heaven  there  is  a  possession  for  each  saint, 
which  the  offer  of  even  the  universe  itself  could  not  buy. 
In  spiritual  things  also  the  condition  of  the  saint  is 
hidden  from  the  eyes  of  men.  It  appears  that  none  save 
Christ  valued  this  poor  widow's  offering  and  piety  at 
their  real  worth,  because  Jesus  alone  could  search  her 
heart  and  try  her  reins.  To  outward  eye,  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  were  far  more  holy  than  she ;  but  to  that 
eye  which  seeth  not  as  man  seeth,  she  was  immeasurably 
above  them  all.     We  need  not  be  surprised  at  this,  and 


324  HEARTINESS    IN   ACTION. 

tlie  children  of  God  will  do  well  to  remember^  that  the 
world  will  not  always  let  them  hold  that  position^  even 
though  it  be  in  spiritual  things,  which  they  have  a  right 
to  claim.  He,  who  in  humble  earnestness,  belongs  to 
God,  must  make  up  his  mind  to  be  very  often  despised, 
even  by  apparently  religious  people,  and  be  content  to 
hold  his  rank  in  the  estimation  of  Christ  alone.  No 
doubt  to  many  who  are  truly  the  children  of  God,  this 
seems  very  hard;  if  they  have  no  reputation  in  the 
world,  the  least  they  may  have  is  some  position  in  the 
church ;  but  like  the  widow  in  the  text,  they  are  known 
to  but  One,  and  that  One  is  God,  who  approves  their 
deeds,  and  treasures  up  their  names  against  His  own 
great  day. 

Let  us  contemplate  this  widow  as  under  the  observation 
of  God.  We  are  told  that  in  the  crowd  of  worshippers, 
there  were  rich  men  who  offered  much,  but  not  one  word 
of  commendation  do  we  find  vouchsafed  to  them.  And 
this  was  not  because  their  good  deeds  were  done  without 
having  been  seen  by  God ;  far  from  it ;  He  noted  the 
amount  of  every  gift,  and  in  His  own  mind  compared  it 
with  the  cu'cumstances  under  which  He  knew  each  one 
to  be  placed;  and  forming  His  estimate  upon  these 
grounds,  the  widow  alone  was  praised.  The  gold  and 
silver  of  the  rich  had  no  attractions  for  God;  His 
admiration  was  riveted  on  the  widow^s  mites  alone,  for 
they  only  came  from  a  heart,  which  poured  itself  out 
unreservedly  to  God.  And  let  this  teach  us,  how  that 
when  we  think  we  are  unobserved,  we  are  nevertheless 
doing  all  under  the  immediate  eye  of  God.  Oh!  we 
forget  too  much,  that  we  are  the  servants  of  One,  who  is 
ever  looking  at  us,  and  ever  taking  note  of   what   we 


HEARTINESS    IN   ACTION.  325 

think,  and  speak,  and  do.  Content  to  be  amongst  the 
crowd,  we  think  ourselves  then  best  off,  when  no  special 
notice  is  taken  of  us  at  all ;  but  it  ought  not  to  be  thus  ; 
it  should  be  the  greatest  sorrow  and  disappointment,  if 
God  did  not  vouchsafe  to  fix  a  special  look  on  us ;  we 
should  be  able  to  say  "  Look,  Lord,  and  see  if  this  be 
done  according  to  Thy  will."  In  all  our  givings,  how- 
ever the  amount  be  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  man,  we 
should  so  perform  these  acts  that  we  do  not  desire  them 
to  be  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  God ;  we  should  be  able  to 
open  our  hand  before  the  One,  to  whom  we  are  about  to 
offer,  and  say,  ''  Look,  Lord,  this  is  for  Thee — this  is  not 
the  mere  cold  offering  of  duty,  but  it  is  that  of  love ; 
Thou  knowest  my  circumstances,  and  knowing  them, 
with  this  I  trust  that  Thou  wilt  be  pleased."  The  reason 
why  we  do  so  little,  and  that  so  badly,  is,  that  we  are 
ever  sinking  our  individuality  in  the  crowd;  ever  for- 
getting, that  we  stand  each  one  as  it  were  alone  before 
his  God.  So  long  as  we  go  on  thus,  we  shall  never  do 
well ;  and  even  though,  if  we  be  rich,  we  cast  in  much, 
we  shall  never  attain  to  the  testimony  which  was  the 
portion  of  the  widow. 

And  if  it  be  the  shame  and  loss  of  many,  that  Christ 
looks  upon  them  as  they  perhaps  cast  in  much,  and 
bestows  no  word  of  commendation  upon  their  gift,  is  it 
not  the  blessing  and  the  gain  of  others,  that  His  eye  is 
upon  them,  though  they  can  give  but  very  little;  and 
that  little  wins  from  him  words  of  approval  and  of 
praise  ?  He  who  is  like  this  poor  widow  will  delight  in 
the  thought,  that  his  Lord  knows  all;  he  will  say, 
"Thou  knowest  all  things.  Thou  knowest  that  I  love 
Thee  f   "  Thou  knowest  that  this  is  the  offering  of  love ;" 


326  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

and  the  heart  shall  have  its  own  sensations  of  joy,  as  it 
feels  that  God  has  seen^  and  that  God  has  been  well  pleased. 
Thus  Jesus  notes  the  earnestness  of  all  earnest-minded 
men,  and  shall  we  believe,  that  with  that  notice,  the 
whole  matter  ends  ?  Not  so !  He  passes  an  opinion 
upon  the  conduct  of  such  as  have  given  evidence  that 
their  hearts  are  His,  and  that  opinion  is  recorded  in  the 
books  of  life  and  death ;  "  She  hath  done  what  she 
could,"  found  an  entrance  not  only  into  the  gospels  of 
the  Evangelists,  but  also  into  the  judgment  books  of 
heaven.  Christ^ s  observations  are  all  chronicled  against 
the  day  of  trial,  when  He,  as  the  One  to  whom  all  judg- 
ment is  committed,  shall  reward  every  man  "  according 
to  his  deeds."  And  let  this  encourage  such  of  you,  as 
are  earnestly  endeavouring  to  do  all  you  can  for  Him. 
No  effort  is  lost :  if  there  be  two  mites  in  your  hand  God 
knows  it ;  perhaps  He  says,  "  Why  are  there  two  mites 
there  ?  dull  formality  required  but  one ;  surely  inasmuch 
as  there  are  two,  this  second  comes  from  love."  And  in 
the  great  day,  when  the  true  hearted  people  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  set  in  glory  on  His  right  hand,  how  blessed  will 
it  be,  to  find  ourselves  there,  as  men  long  since  known 
and  observed  by  Him ;  to  feel  with  humble  pleasure  that 
we  are  no  strangers  to  Him,  for  that  he  often  watched 
our  deeds  of  love ;  to  think  that  there  are  hard  solid 
facts  which  are  valuable  as  proofs ;  and  after  all  do  not 
facts  speak  an  hundred  fold  more  than  words?  Deeds 
of  love  are  good  for  nothing  in  the  way  of  procuring 
salvation,  but  they  are  very  precious  as  tokens  that  love 
was  true.  Act  then,  on  all  occasions  as  though  you 
wished  Jesus  to  look  on.  Remember  whenever  you 
approach  the  treasury,  that  Jesus  is  in  the  temple,  and 


HEARTINESS    IN   ACTION.  327 

opposite  you,  as  you  make  your  offering  to  the  Lord;  so  | 
give,  so  do,  as  that  you  shall  be  able  to  say,  "  I  am  / 
thankful  that  Jesus  saw !  ^' 

We  are  furnished  in  Holy  Scripture  with  many 
examples  of  "  Heartiness  in  Action/^  Jesus  is  the 
great  example  in  whom  we  find  all  excellence,  and  He 
was  hearty  indeed,  in  running  the  way  of  God^s  com- 
mandments ;  His  ear  was  opened.  His  heart  was  enlarged 
for  service.  What  were  His  words  ?  '^  I  delight  to  do 
Thy  will  O  my  God,  yea  Thy  law  is  within  my  heart /^  ^ 
''  Not  my  will  but  thine  be  done,"  f  See  how  hearty 
Jesus  was  in  His  journeyings,  in  His  preachings,  in  all 
words  and  errands  of  mercy;  how  earnest  were  His  ex- 
hortations, how  ready  were  His  deeds.  He  toiled  from 
morning  to  night ;  and  oftentimes  He  prayed  from 
night  to  morning ;  and  when  His  short  life  was  ended, 
so  many  were  His  wondrous  deeds,  that  the  Apostle 
John  winds  up  his  gospel  with  saying,  "  And  there  are 
also  many  other  things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if 
they  should  be  written  every  one,  I  suppose  that  even 
the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the  books  that  should 
be  written."  J 

Such  was  Jesus  on  earth ;  and  it  is  a  blessed  thought 
for  His  people  that  such  also  is  He  now  in  the  presence 
of  God.  He  carried  all  His  excellencies  with  Him, 
when  He  ascended  up  on  high ;  and  amongst  them  His 
^^  Heartiness  in  Action,"  Yes !  it  is  with  an  earnest 
heart  that  He  makes  intercession  for  His  people,  that  He 
loves  them,  that  He  interferes  and  acts  for  them ;  in  a 
word,  that  He  does  everything  for  them ;  He  is  full  of 
life  on  behalf  of  His  people ;  oftentimes  when  we  are 
*  Psalm  xl,  8,         f  Luke  xxii,  42,         |  John  xxi,  25. 


328  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

only  languid  for  ourselves^  He  is  hearty  for  ns^  and  we 
receive  according  to  His  earnestness^  and  not  according  to 
our  own.  This  is  a  blessed  truth,  and  as  we  realize  it, 
may  it  be  given  to  us  more  unreservedly  and  devotedly  to 
give  our  heart  to  Him,  whose  service  is  so  hearty  for  us  ! 
Or,  let  us  take  Paul,  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  : 
he  was  hearty  for  his  Lord ;  he  was  ^^  in  labours  more 
abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure,  in  prisons  more  fre- 
quent, in  deaths  oft  /^  of  the  Jews  five  times  received 
he  forty  stripes  save  one ;  thrice  was  he  beaten  with  rods, 
once  was  he  stoned;  thrice  he  suffered  shipwreck;  a 
night  and  a  day  he  was  in  the  deep ;  he  was  in  journey- 
ings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in 
perils  by  his  own  countrymen,  in  perils  by  the  heathen, 
in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils 
in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren ;  in  weariness 
and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst, 
in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness ;  in  addition  to 
which  there  came  upon  him  daily  the  care  of  all  the 
churches."^  He  counted  not  his  life  dear  unto  himself 
so  that  he  might  finish  his  course  with  joy,  and  the  min- 
istry which  he  had  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  f  He 
gloried  in  tribulations. J  "What  mean  ye,^^  said  he  to 
the  disciples  at  Csesarea,  "  to  weep  and  to  break  mine 
heart  ?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to 
die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. ^^  § 
Paul  was  a  living  example  of  the  precepts  which  he  gave, 
"  fervent  in  Spirit,  serving  the  Lord.^^  ||  "  And  what- 
soever ye  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  unto 
men."^      And  let   us   remember  that   Paul   was   not 

*  2  Cor.  xi,  28.       f  Acts  xx,  24.       J  Romans  v,  3. 
§  Acts  xxi,  13.       il  Romans  xii,  11.       %  Col.  iii,  23. 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  329 

called  to  "  Heartiness  in  Action  ^^  one  whit  more  than 
we  are !  The  same  Christ  who  appeared  to  him^  and 
gave  him  life  in  the  midst  of  his  career  of  death,  appears 
to  our  souls,  and  gives  us  life  also ;  the  same  grace  is 
vouchsafed  to  both,  if  so  be  that  we  have  received  the 
Lord  at  all.  Instead  then  of  thinking,  that  because  Paul 
was  an  Apostle,  more  was  required  from  him,  than  there 
is  from  us ;  or  that  he  was  possessed  of  any  extraordinary- 
energies,  which  are  above  the  ordinary  lot  of  man,  let  ns 
see  in  him  a  man  with  an  enlarged  heart,  and  in  his  life, 
with  all  its  labours,  nothing  more  than  what  we  ourselves 
are  called  upon  to  exhibit  in  our  own  spheres — "  Enlarge- 
ment of  heart  in  action/'  Our  sphere  may  not  be  that  of 
an  Apostle,  but  our  heart  may  be  like  his ;  and  we  may 
fill  our  sphere  as  acceptably  as  he  filled  his ;  it  is  not  at 
spheres,  but  at  hearts  that  God  will  look ;  and  however 
small  the  circle  in  which  we  move,  if  only  we  be  hearty 
in  it  for  the  Lord,  ours  also  may  be  the  Apostle's  words 
in  our  departing  hour ;  ''  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I 
have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith ;  hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness, 
which  the  Lord  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that 
day ;  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that 
love  His  appearing."  ^ 

See  how  large-hearted  the  Macedonians  were,  ^^  their 
deep  poverty  abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality ; 
for  to  their  power  (says  the  Apostle)  I  bear  record,  yea  and 
beyond  their  power,  they  were  willing  of  themselves.''  t 
Look  at  the  Israelites,  how  they  oiFered  for  their  taber- 
nacle ;  "  they  came,  every  one  whose  heart  stirred  him 
up,  and  every  one  whom  his  spirit  made  willing,  and 
*  2  Tim.  iv,  7,  8.     f  2  Cor.  viii,  2,  3. 

F    F    3 


330  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

they  brought  the  Lord's  offering  to  the  work  of  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation^  and  for  all  His  service, 
and  for  the  holy  garments;  and  they  came,  both  men 
and  women,  as  many  as  were  willing-hearted,  and  brought 
bracelets,  and  earrings,  and  rings,  and  tablets,  all  jewels 
of  gold,  and  every  man  that  offered,  offered  an  offering 
of  gold  unto  the  Lord/^  ^  "With  them  it  was  not  how 
little  but  how  much  they  could  give.  ^'^And  they 
brought  yet  unto  him  (Moses)  free  offerings  every 
morning .^'t  -^t  last  "  the  wise  men  that  wrought  all  the 
work  of  the  sanctuary,  came  every  man  from  his  work 
which  they  made,  and  they  spake  unto  Moses  saying, 
^The  people  bring  much  more  than  enough  for  the 
service  of  the  work,  which  the  Lord  commanded  to 
make.'  And  Moses  gave  commandment,  and  they  caused 
it  to  be  proclaimed  throughout  the  camp,  saying,  'let 
neither  man  nor  woman  make  any  more  work  for  the 
offering  of  the  sanctuary.'  So  the  people  were  restrained 
from  bringing.  For  the  stuff  they  had,  was  sufficient  for 
all  the  work  to  make  it,  and  too  much."  %  David  was 
large-hearted,  and  would  have  built  a  house  for  God; 
and  when  he  was  du-ected  not  to  carry  out  his  intention, 
because  he  had  shed  blood,  he  shewed  that  he  had 
enlargement  of  heart  toward  God,  by  the  preparation 
which  he  made  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  design  by 
his  son ;  he  prepared  iron  in  abundance,  and  brass  in 
abundance  without  weight;  also  in  his  trouble  he 
prepared  for  the  house  of  the  Lord  an  hundred  thousand 
talents  of  gold,  and  a  thousand  thousand  talents  of 
silver. §     The  heartiness  of  the  king  made  him  do  what 

•  Exodus  XXXV,  21,  22.     f  Exodus  xxxvi,  3.     J  Verses  4—8. 
§  1  Chronicles  xxii. 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  331 

he  could,  as  lie  could  not  do  what  he  would.  Let  us  look 
on  a  little  farther,  and  we  find  this  heartiness  again  in 
Nehemiah,  and  those  who  were  joined  with  him  in  the 
work  of  the  Lord.  Each  man^s  work  is  chronicled  in 
chapter  iii.  "  So  built  we  the  wall  :^^  (said  he  in 
chapter  iv.)  ^^  And  all  the  wall  was  joined  together  unto 
the  half  thereof,  for  the  people  had  a  mind  to  work  /" 
How  active,  how  energetic,  they  were,  we  see  from 
chapter  iii,  12.  "  And  next  unto  him  repaired  Shallum 
the  son  of  Halohesh,  the  ruler  of  the  half  part  of 
Jerusalem,  he  and  his  daughters''  Here  was  Heartiness 
in  action ;  the  heart  constrained  the  hand,  and  rough  as 
the  work  was  for  women  to  engage  in,  it  was  willingly 
undertaken.  Of  you,  dear  reader,  may  it  be  also  said, 
that  you  had  "a  mind  to  work.^^  As  every  man  is  to 
give  as  he  is  disposed  in  his  heart,  not  grudgingly  or  of 
necessity,  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver,  so  is  every 
man  to  work  as  he  is  disposed  in  his  heart,  for  God 
loveth  a  hearty  worker.  The  work  of  each  of  the 
restorers  of  Jerusalem  is  chronicled  in  Nehemiah ;  there 
is  another  book  in  which  is  chronicled  the  work  of  each 
of  us — om^  work — its  motives — its  intensity — not  only 
the  fact  that  we  worked,  but  also  why,  and  how  ! 

The  readiness  of  the  daughters  of  Shallum  is  recorded, 
so  also  is  the  backwardness  of  the  nobles  of  the  Tekoites ; 
''  but  their  nobles  put  not  their  necks  to  the  work  of 
their  Lord.^^  No  position  excuses  man  from  work  for 
the  Lord  in  the  sphere  appointed  to  him ;  a  record  of 
shortcoming  as  well  as  of  diligence  is  kept;  many  a 
feeble  woman  will  hereafter  be  honoured  for  her  rough 
work  for  God,  when  the  nobles  are  reprobated,  who  put 
not  their  necks  to  the  work  of  their  Lord. 


332  HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  tlie  very  important  and  practical 
enquiry,  WTience  does  this  Heartiness  come  ?     Like  every 
other  good  and  perfect  gift,  it  comes  from  the  Father  of 
lights,  "with  whom  is  no  variableness  nor  shadow  of 
turning  ;^^  it  is  wrought  in  us  by  the  Holy  Ghost.     The 
Lord^s  people  are  "made  willing  in  the  day  of  His  power/^* 
"  It  is  God  that  worketh  in  them,  both  to  wiU  and  to  do 
of  His  good  pleasure /^t      The  Spirit  of  God  in  man^s 
sanctification  comes  in  contact,  not  only  with  the  heart 
as  warped,  but  with  it  as  contracted  also ;  He  finds  in  it 
not  only  a  bias  towards  what  is  evil,  but  an  inaptitude 
to  what  is  good ;  its  only  dealings  with  holy  things  will 
be  in  the  way  of  duty ;  it  knows  nothing  of  the  law  of 
love.     The  Spirit  of  God  creates  love,  and  in  so  doing 
opens  out  the  heart,  and  quickens  its  pulsations,  and  puts 
its  actions  under  a  new  and  impulsive  law;    the  heart 
wiU  do,  under  the  impulsive  law  of  love,  what  it  could  not 
be  induced  to  do  by  any  other  power.     If  you,  then,  feel 
the  backwardness  of  your  natural  heart;    if  you  have 
tried,  and  tried  in   vain,  to  warm  it  up  to  energy,  and 
power,  and  what  we  commonly  call  "  heartiness,^^  in  the 
cause  of  God  ;  and  if  you  have  found  yourself,  however 
active  in  duty,  still  wanting  in  heart,  I  beseech  you  to 
apply  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to  supply  your  need.     In  vain 
will  you  turn  to  any  other  source;    in  vain  will  you 
devise  methods  or  expedients  of  your  own ;    the  living 
principle   will    be  wanting,    and    therewith   Hfe   itself. 
Heartiness  must  be  inwrought,  or  we  shall  never  be  able 
to  abound  in  the  work  of  the  Lord ;  we  may  commence 
enterprizes  with  zeal,  fascinated  by  their  novelty ;  or  we 
may  continue  in  them,  for  in  various  ways  they  may 
•  Psa.  ex,  3.      t  Phil,  ii,  13. 


HEARTINESS    IN    ACTION.  333 

suit  our  natural  taste;  but  heartiness,  embracing  all 
service,  and  continuing  in  all  service,  must  be  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  working  within  us  this  spiritual  power,  the  Spirit  may 
have  to  contend  with  our  natural  temperament;  to  over- 
come sloth,  timidity,  indifference,  and  much  of  a  similar 
kind ;  but  if  we  yield  ourselves  to  Him,  He  will  not 
allow  us  to  be  like  the  Laodicean  church,  "  neither  cold 
nor  hot,"  and  fit  only  to  be  "  spued  out  of  the  mouth." — 
Rev.  iii,  16.  He  will  prevent  our  hiding  our  talent  in  a 
napkin;  He  will  make  us  the  good  ground  bringing 
forth  fruit  abundantly,  an  hundred  and  a  thousand  fold ; 
and  to  us  shall  be  spoken  those  most  blessed  words : 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into 
the  joy  of  thy  Lord  ! "  The  utmost  heartiness  in  service 
is  compatible  with  the  closest  walk  with  God ;  and  we 
need  not  fear  our  summons  coming,  when  engaged  in 
action  for  Him.  A  lady  once  asked  Mr.  Wesley, 
''  Supposing  that  you  kneio  you  were  to  die  at  twelve 
o'clock  to-morrow  night,  how  would  you  spend  the  in- 
tervening time?"  "How,  madam,?"  he  replied,  "  why 
just  as  I  intend  to  spend  it  now.  I  should  preach  this 
evening  at  Gloucester,  and  again  at  five  to-morrow 
morning ;  after  that  I  should  ride  to  Tewkesbmy,  preach 
in  the  afternoon,  and  meet  the  societies  in  the  evening. 
I  should  then  repair  to  friend  Martin's  house,  who 
expects  to  entertain  me,  converse  and  pray  with  the 
family,  as  usual,  retire  to  my  room  at  ten  o'clock,  com- 
mend myself  to  my  heavenly  Father,  lie  down  to  rest, 
and  wake  up  in  glory."  Blessed  exchange  !  the  heartiness 
of  service  on  earth,  for  the  heartiness  of  service  in  glory  ! 


334 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  *'I  WILL"  OF  DETERMIIs^ATION  IjS"  ACTION. 

Psalm  Ixxi,  16.     " I  icill go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God" 

HEARTINESS  will  be  sure  to  bring  out  the  weakness 
of  the  individual ;  tlie  enlarged  heart  will  not  only 
propose,  but  will  actually  make  us  embark  in  enterprizes 
for  God,  which  will  severely  try  the  other  parts  of  our 
spiritual  constitution.  We  may  have  the  heart  for  such 
and  such  a  thing,  whether  it  be  a  sacrifice  or  an  action ; 
but  have  we  the  faith,  the  energy,  the  perseverance,  and 
such  other  Christian  graces  as  are  necessary  to  carry  us 
through?  Better  for  us  to  be  hearty,  though  we  be 
weak,  than  to  be  strong,  and  indifferent  withal. 

When  a  man's  heart  is  enlarged  for  action  for  God,  to 
run  the  way  of  His  commandments,  his  heartiness  will 
be  tried.  There  will  come  temptations  to  desist ;  Satan 
will  endeavour  to  neutralize  that  heartiness  by  every 
means  in  his  power.  He  will  represent  to  us  our  own 
weakness,  and  the  enemy's  strength,  just  as  he  did  to 
David,  by  the  mouth  of  Saul,  when  he  was  about  to 
attack  the  Philistine,  "  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  against 
this  Philistine  to  fight  with  him,  for  thou  are  but  a 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  335 

youth,  and  he  a  man  of  war  from  his  youth/^^.  Peter  was 
hearty  in  his  desire  to  go  to  Christy  but  when  the  waves 
were  looked  at^  they  brought  out  the  smallness  of  his 
faith.  He  was  hearty  also  when  he  said_,  *^' though  all 
men  shall  be  offended  because  of  Thee^  yet  will  I  never 
be  offended ;  though  I  should  die  with  Thee^  yet  will  I 
not  deny  Thee.^^t  In  the  first  of  these  cases  there  was 
no  failure^  in  the  second  there  was;  although^  in  all 
probability,  the  heartiness  in  Peter^s  case  was  as  much 
as  that  in  David^s_,  if  not  more.  Let  us  seek  for  grace 
to  have  our  powers  equal  to  our  heartiness  for  action, 
then  we  shall  be  able  to  produce  great  results.  And 
further,  let  us  never  draw  back  because  we  discover 
weakness  in  ourselves ;  our  duty  is  to  go  forward  "  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord;'^  the  remedy  for  our  weakness  is 
to  be  found  in  the  verse  which  is  under  consideration 
now,  ^'  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God.^^ 

We  find  in  Holy  Scripture  many  examples  of  Deter- 
mination IN  ACTION.  Moses  was  pre-eminently  called  to 
action  for  God,  and  the  position  in  which  he  was  placed 
required  great  determination ;  he  had  to  face  a  monarch 
exasperated  by  repeated  chastisements  which  had  nearly 
ruined  his  kingdom;  he  had,  humanly  speaking,  every 
reason  to  be  willing  to  make  a  compromise,  and  draw 
off  his  people  from  the  land  of  Egypt;  but  he  was 
determined  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  would  hear  of 
nothing  of  the  kind.  "  And  Pharaoh  called  unto  Moses, 
and  said,  Go  ye  and  serve  the  Lord,  only  let  your  flocks 
and  your  herds  be  stayed,  let  your  little  ones  also  go 
with  you;^^  but  Moses  would  not  yield,  even  in  the 
matter  of  the  meanest  animal  belonging  to  an  Israelite^ 
*  1  Sam.  xvii,  33.     f  Matt,  xxvi,  33,  35. 


336  DETERMINATION    IN   ACTION. 

'^  Our  cattle  also  shall  go  with  us,  there  shall  not  au  hoof 
be  left  behind  Z^"^'  David,  as  we  have  akeady  seen,  was 
called  to  decided  action  for  God,  and  he  did  not  flinch, 
even  though  his  brethren  taunted  him,  and  Saul  would 
have  discouraged  him,  and  Goliath  did  all  he  could  to 
affright  him.f  Elijah  was  pre-eminently  called  to 
action  for  God,  and  although  he  knew  that  Ahab  sought 
his  life,  he  sends  a  message  to  him  by  Obadiah,  ^^  Behold 
Elijah  is  here.  As  the  Lord  of  hosts  liveth,  before 
whom  I  stand,  I  will  surely  shew  myself  unto  him 
to-day  !  '^  %  His  attitude  on  Carmel  was  one  of  deter- 
mined action.  "And  Elijah  said  unto  them,  take  the 
prophets  of  Baal,  let  not  one  of  them  escape ;  and  they 
took  them;  and  Elijah  brought  them  down  to  the 
brook  Kishon  and  slew  them  there  .^'  It  was  necessary 
for  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  to  take  up  a 
decided  position,  and  they  did  so;  they  said,  *' O 
Nebuchadnezzar,  we  are  not  careful  to  answer  thee  in 
this  matter ;  if  it  be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able 
to  deliver  us  from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  He  will 
deliver  us  out  of  thine  hand,  O  king.  But  if  not,  be  it 
known  unto  thee,  O  king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy 
gods,  nor  worship  the  golden  image  which  thou  has  set 
up."  §  "  When  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  was  signed, 
he  went  into  his  house,  and  his  window  being  open  in 
his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled  upon  his 
knees  three  times  a  day,  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God, 
as  he  did  aforetime." j|  Nehemiah  said,  "Should  such 
a  man  as  I  flee  ?  and  who  is  there  that,  being  as  I  am, 
would  go  into  the  temple  to  save  his  life  ?  I  will  not  go 

•  Exodus  X,  24,  26.         f  1  Sam.  xvii.         J  1  Kings  xviii. 
§  Daniel  iii,  16—18.        ||  Chap,  vi,  10. 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  337 

in/^^  When  Peter  and  John  were  brouglit  before  the 
High  Priest  and  his  kindred  they  shewed  their  Hearti- 
ness in  Action.  "  And  they  called  them^  and  commanded 
them  not  to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
But  Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them. 
Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto 
you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye.  For  we  cannot  but 
speak  the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard.^^f 
When  Paul  appeared  before  Nero,  at  his  first  answer 
no  man  stood  with  him,  but  all  men  forsook  him; 
notwithstanding  the  Lord  stood  with  him,  and  he  was 
delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion.J  But  of  all 
the  examples  of  holy  "Determination  in  Action ^^  the 
brightest  is  furnished  by  our  blessed  Lord  Himself;  His 
life  was  determined  action  from  beginning  to  end.  We 
read  of  Him,  that  "  He  steadfastly  set  His  face  to  go  to 
Jerusalem,"  although  He  knew  that  there  He  was  to 
meet  His  death;  all  His  life,  from  the  day  that  He 
entered  upon  His  public  ministry,  was  a  progress  to 
Jerusalem ;  it  was  a  fulfilment  of  certain  requirements 
which  lay  between  Him  and  the  cross,  so  that  the  cross 
could  not  be  reached  until  they  had  been  met.  In 
meeting  all  these,  we  can  well  believe  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  had  to  exercise  ''  Determination  in  Action,"  that 
He  had  to  keep  His  human  flesh  steadily  to  the  point, 
from  which  as  mere  human  flesh  it  would  have  doubtless 
shrunk ;  in  Gethsemane  He  is  determined ;  even  though 
flesh  and  blood  be  weak ;  He  says,  " '  not  my  will  but 
Thine  be  done,'  and  there  appeared  an  angel  unto  Him 
from  heaven  strengthening  Him.  "  § 

*  Neh.  vi,  U.        t  Acts  iv,  18—20.        J  2  Tim.  iv,  16,  17. 
§  Luke  xxii,  42,  43. 

G    G 


338  DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION. 

These  then  are  a  few  of  the  Scripture  examples  of 
Determination  in  Action;  let  me  now  direct  the  reader's 
attention  to  some  particulars  connected  with  this  deter- 
mination to  do,  or  to  go ;  "I  will  go  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord  God." 

He  who  is  determined  to  do,  or  to  go,  in  the  service 
of  Grod,  will  often  have  to  be  very  determined  with  him- 
self. He  will  find  many  opponents  of  his  will  in  the 
actings  of  his  own  flesh  and  blood ;  he  will  find  the  law 
of  the  flesh  struggling  against  the  law  of  the  mind ;  he 
will  have  to  put  down  Self  before  he  can  act.  Self-ease, 
self-interest,  self-indulgence,  together  with  a  whole  tribe 
of  arguments,  and  opinions  belonging  to  the  flesh,  must 
be  dealt  with,  and  that,  with  a  stern  and  uncompromising 
hand.  Few,  save  such  as  have  had  actual  experience  of 
this  conflict,  can  have  any  idea  of  the  force  which  a  man 
has  to  exercise  upon  himself;  many,  however,  of  the 
children  of  God  know  this,  and  they  shall  hereafter  re- 
ceive glory  for  these  very  victories  which  they  won  over 
themselves.  No  eye  saw  them,  no  ear  listened  to  them, 
they  were  not  sustained  by  the  sympathy  of  masses 
engaged  in  a  like  conflict  to  their  own,  but  God  was 
looking,  hearing,  feeling  for  them,  and  His  book  of 
remembrance  was  open,  and  in  it  an  account  was  entered 
of  all  this  determined  strife.  The  harmony  of  our  whole 
being  in  thought  and  action  for  God,  will  form  a  part  of 
the  blessedness  of  heaven,  but  we  must  expect  the  want 
of  harmony  to  form  a  part  of  the  strife  and  warfare  of 
earth. 

It  might  be  asked,  however,  "  In  what  sort  of  things 
have  God's  people  to  put  in  force  this  determined  '  I 
wilP  over  themselves?"     Sometimes  in  very  important 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  339 

ones,  and  sometimes  in  what  would  appear  to  common 
observation  to  be  merely  trifles.  We  sometimes  require 
to  be  more  determined  with  ourselves  about  trifles,,  than 
more  apparently  important  things.  A  victory  gained  in 
a  conflict,  where  the  point  in  question  is  a  trifle,  is  often 
a  victory  which  helps  to  determine  character ,  and  is  thus 
of  immense  importance.  We  have  many  a  time  to  put 
great  constraint  upon  ourselves  to  keep  silence,  and  put 
a  bridle  on  our  lips,  when  we  are  provoked  to  answer 
again:  we  have  to  be  determined  with  ourselves  when 
we  want  to  show  kindness  to  those,  who  for  a  long  time 
have  been  recipients  of  our  acts  of  kindness,  giving  us 
in  return  nothing  but  unkindness,  and  thanklessness,  if 
not  opposition  and  hate;  we  have  to  be  determined  in 
carrying  out  rules  of  Christian  life — things  to  be  done — 
and  things  to  be  left  undone — which  are  mixed  up  in  the 
whirl  of  our  daily  calls,  employments,  and  duties;  in 
many  such  things  we  have,  by  the  help  and  teaching  of 
the  Spirit,  to  lay  down  as  it  were  the  law  to  ourselves, 
and  to  see  that  it  is  carried  out. 

There  are  also  many  other  striking  points  in  which  we 
have  to  exercise  determination  over  ourselves.  We  may 
be  called  upon  to  take  some  part  in  the  Lord^s  work, 
which  can  only  be  done  at  considerable  sacrifice  or  cost ; 
we  may  hear  the  Lord  plainly  saying  to  us,  "  Take  up 
that  position,  lift  up  that  burden,"  and  flesh  and  blood 
decline;  then  comes  the  need  for  pressure;  then  we 
must  be  determined  with  self,  and  by  God^s  blessing  we 
shall  prevail.  Many  a  man  has  had  to  exercise  this 
determination,  before  he  could  make  up  his  mind  to 
bring  down  upon  himself  the  enmity  or  ridicule  of  some 
he  respected,  or  loved ;  before  he  could  bring  himself  to 


340  DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION. 

undertake  somethings  which  could  be  done  on]y  at  con- 
siderable cost;  it  needed  determination  to  carry  him 
through^  but  he  sought  and  received  it  from  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Nor  let  us  suppose  that  the  bare  fact  of  making  a 
determination  wiU  be  sufficient  to  carry  us  through ;  the 
determination  itself  will  be  assailed.  Let  us  be  on  our 
guard  in  this  particular ;  the  first  attempt  of  Satan  will 
be  to  prevent  our  making  up  our  mind;  the  next,  to 
prevent  our  good  determination  taking  eflect.  Hence 
we  must  be  on  our  guard  against  making  excuses^,  and 
being  ready  continually  to  say  that  '  circumstances  are 
altered/  and  that  '^we  have  been  compelled  by  circum- 
stances/ and  the  like.  In  many  cases_,  we  can  master 
circumstances_,  alas  !  in  how  many  do  we  let  them  master 
us  I  "  In  the  matters  of  God/^  said  Luther^  ^^  I  assume 
this  title,  ^  cedo  nulli,'  '  I  yield  to  none  -/  "  happy  should 
we  be,  if,  in  all  spiritual  determination,  a  like  motto 
were  ours. 

Determination  in  Action  is  then  the  duty  of  the 
Lord^s  people ;  blessed  be  God  that  in  it  they  have  not 
to  depend  upon  themselves,  but  are  privileged  to  have  a 
Realization  of  external  power.  ^'^^I  will  go  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  God/^  We  may  be  determined, 
and  yet  wholly  fail,  owing  to  a  want  of  God^s  presence 
with  us.  Thus  was  it  with  the  Israelites,  as  we  read  in 
Numbers  xiv ;  they  would  go  against  their  enemies  in 
spite  of  the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  "  They  rose  up 
early  in  the  morning,  and  gat  them  up  into  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  saying,  lo,  we  be  here,  and  will  go  up  into 
the  place  which  the  Lord  hath  promised,  for  we  have 
sinned.     And  Moses  said,  wherefore  now  do  ye  transgress 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  341 

the  commandment  of  the  Lord?  but  it  shall  not  prosper. 
Go  not  np,  for  the  Lord  is  not  among  you,  that  ye  be 
not  smitten  before  your  enemies.  For  the  Amalekites 
and  the  Canaanites  are  there  before  you_,  and  ye  shall 
fall  by  the  sword  ;  because  ye  are  turned  away  from  the 
Lord,  therefore  the  Lord  will  not  be  with  you.  But 
they  presumed  to  go  up  on  to  the  hill  top,  nevertheless 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  and  Moses  departed 
not  out  of  the  camp.  Then  the  Amalekites  came  down, 
and  the  Canaanites,  and  discomfited  them  even  unto 
Hormah.^^  Here  we  have  an  example  of  Determination 
in  Action,  in  which  man  goes  forth,  relying  on  his  own 
strength  ;  and,  as  he  thinks,  on  his  own  good  intentions  : 
divine  strength  however  was  withheld,  and  miserable 
failure  is  the  consequence. 

When  we  are  about  to  come  forth  in  determined 
action,  let  us  beware  of  the  danger  of  ^  looking  too  much 
at  what  our  own  resources  are  for  accomplishing  the  end 
in  view.'  We  are  to  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God,  and 
if  we  parade  our  own  resources,  and  say,  "  I  will  go  in  the 
strength  of  this  or  that,"  failure  most  assuredly  lies 
before  us.  There  are  temptations  connected  even  with 
our  growth  in  grace;  we  never  attain  to  any  spiritual 
acquisition,  but  that  Satan  is  on  the  watch  to  ensnare  us 
in  it,  yes,  and  perhaps  to  ensnare  us  by  it,  saying  to  us, 
"  Now  you  have  faith,  venture  on  such  and  such  a  thing.'' 
Woe  be  to  us,  if,  depending  upon  our  faith,  we  determine 
to  do  anything  of  the  kind;  our  faith,  our  spiritual 
power,  whatever  it  be,  will  no  doubt  come  out  well  in 
action  when  it  has  to  work,  but  we  must  distinctly  go  **^  in 
the  strength  of  the  Lord  God,''  and  in  that  only. 

There  is  another  danger,   but   it   is   of  an   opposite 

G    G   2 


342  DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION. 

character ;  ^  if,  instead  of  keeping  steadily  before  us  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  God^  we  muster  our  own  spiritual 
resources^  then,  seeing  their  insufficiency,  we  may  be 
deterred  from  determined  action  at  all/  We  might  well 
take  up  the  words  which  David  used  of  Saul's  armour, 
and  say  "  I  cannot  go  with  these/^  Some,  perhaps,  will  be 
inclined  to  discover  in  this  an  excuse  for  refraining 
from  action  for  God  altogether ;  they  might  say,  '^  I  am 
not  equal  to  what  is  required  of  me ;  I  feel  I  have  no 
spiritual  ability  for  occupying  such  and  such  a  position ;" 
but  then,  dear  friend,  "what  about  "  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  God  ?"  The  Psalmist's  "  I  will  go,"  was  a  deter- 
mination made  with  reference  to  His  strength ;  oh  !  let 
yours  be  the  same,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  you  shall 
be  upheld  and  strengthened  in  the  might  that  cometh 
from  above.  "  I  can  do  all  things,"  said  the  Apostle, 
^^  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 

Let  us  observe,  further,  that  '^  realization  of  external 
power  will  keep  us  close  to  such  power ;"  one  of  our  great 
dangers  being  to  get  independent  of  it,  or  to  forget  it. 
"  Eealization  !" — but  then  it  must  be  realization  indeed ; 
not  merely  a  correct  theory  about  divine  power,  but  an 
actual  realization  of  it.  All  the  theorizing  in  the  world 
could  never  make  a  man  practically  say,  "  I  will  go  in 
the  strength  of  the  Lord  God."  We  never  can  separate 
ourselves  from  divine  strength,  without  coming  under  the 
depressing  influences  of  human  weakness. 

The  realization  of  this  external  power — even  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  God — will  have  this  further  benefit;  "We 
shall  be  more  contented  and  peaceful  in  the  failure  of 
customary,  expected,  and  it  may  be,  humanly  speaking, 
useful,  and  all  but  necessary  supplies.-"     All  these  are 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  313 

liable  to  failure ;  there  is  not  a  human  spring,  but  that 
may  run  dry — not  an  earthly  friend^  but  that  may  prove 
false — not  a  finely  tempered  weapon_,  but  that  may  snap — 
not  a  single  appliance,  but  that  may  prove  out  of  order, 
when  we  want  it  most  for  use.  The  ordinary  course  which 
man  pursues,  under  circumstances  such  as  these,  is  to 
retire  from  action,  no  matter  how  determined  he  may 
have  been,  for  he  has  no  longer  the  means  at  hand,  on 
which  he  relied.  In  man's  judgment  there  would  be  no 
disgrace  in  this;  circumstances  have  altered;  and  the 
man  has  been  controlled  by,  or  been  the  victim  of,  cir- 
cumstances. If  we,  however,  be  what  we  ought  to 
be,  if  we  have  made  our  determinations  with  reference 
to  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God,  the  failure  of  all 
these  things  need  not  ajGTect  us  violently ;  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  God  is  wholly  unimpaired.  '^  Although  the 
fig  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the 
vines ;  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields 
shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the 
fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will 
rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation. 
The  Lord  God  is  my  strength,  and  He  will  make  my 
feet  like  hinds'  feet,  and  He  will  make  me  to  walk  upon 
mine  high  places.''  Habakkuk  iii,  17,  &c.  Resources 
will  dry  up  like  Elijah's  brook  ;  but  the  Lord's  hand  is 
not  shortened  that  it  cannot  save ;  and  amid  ever-varying^ 

*  In  Gideon's  case  we  have  a  notable  instance  of  the  altering  of 
circumstances  ;  his  army  of  thirty-two  thousand,  is  brought  down 
to  300,  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  concerning  them  was,  "  By  the 
300  men  that  lapped  will  1  save  you,  and  deliver  the  Midianites 
into  thine  hand.  Arise,  get  thee  down  unto  the  host,  for  I  have 
delivered  it  into  thy  hand."     Judges  vii,  7,  &c. 


344  DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION. 

circuinstances_,  amid  defections^,  disappointments,  external 
fightings_,  and  internal  fears,  the  man  of  God,  realizing 
that  his  strength  comes  from  a  source  external  to 
himself — from  God — may  carry  out  his  determination 
into  action,  until  it  he  brought  successfully  to  a  close. 

Let  us  now,  for  a  few  moments,  glance  at  the  conse- 
quences of  the  realization  of  external  and  Divine  power  in 
action. 

That  ivill  be  attemptedj  under  the  influence  of  this 
realization,  which  otherwise  would  never  have  been  thought 
of.  The  larger  a  man^s  resources  become,  the  more 
important  become  his  plans,  and  the  wider  becomes  the 
range  of  his  thoughts,  and  aspirations,  and  aims.  If 
then  a  man  have  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God  in  which 
to  go,  whither  may  he  not  determine  to  go,  what  may  he 
not  determine  to  do?  No  marvel  if  we  be  slow  to 
undertake,  when  we  see  nothing  but  our  own  strength; 
an  equal  marvel  is  it  that  we  are  so  unwilling  to  go  for- 
ward, when  we  may  say,  "  I  will  go  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord  God.^^ 

Another  consequence  will  be,  that  appearances  will 
not  retard  action.  "  He  that  observeth  the  wind  shall 
not  sow;  and  he  that  regardeth  the  clouds  shall  not 
reap."  Eccl.  xi,  4.  Appearances  are  often  dead  against 
the  proposed  action  of  the  people  of  God ;  it  is  God^s 
intention  that  we  should  start  upon  our  day's  journey, 
or  set  about  our  day's  work  with  a  cloudy  Taorning, 
but  the  sun  will  break  out  as  the  day  advances.  If 
we  see  our  way  clear  as  to  the  duty  of  acting,  let  us 
determine  to  advance  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God, 
and  difficulties  will  gradually  disappear. 


DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION.  3i5 

There  will  also  be  humility  in  success.  We  are 
naturally  inclined  to  be  proud  of  our  success,  and  Satan 
is  ever  on  the  watch  to  make  us  take  the  glory  to  our- 
selves, as  though  by  our  own  might  and  power  we  had 
accom23lished  whatever  has  been  done ;  the  safest  remedy 
for  thisj  is  just  to  bear  in  mind  in  whose  name  and 
strength  we  originally  set  out ;  that  we  said  "  I  will  go 
in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God/' 

AVe  shall  thus  ascribe  all  the  praise  where  it  is  due. 
We  shall  say,  "  He  hath  done  marvellous  things  :  His 
right  hand  and  His  holy  arm  hath  gotten  Him  the 
victory/'  Psalm  xcviii_,  1.  It  is  dangerous  to  rob 
God  of  His  honour;  to  withhold  it  from  Him_,  even 
though  we  do  not  try  to  steal  it  for  ourselves ;  an  eflPectual 
preservative  from  this  will  be  to  remember  what  His 
strength  has  done.  ^'  Be  strong ''  then_,  dear  reader,  "  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  His  might  ;''^  like  the 
apostle  of  old  you  also  may  say,  "  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me.'^f  If  you  feel 
yourself  weak,  do  not  on  that  account  shrink  from  action, 
but  rather  seek  strength  from  above ;  an  answer  shall  be 
given ;  you  shall  hear  some  such  words  as  these,  "  Fear 
thou  not ;  for  I  am  with  thee  :  be  not  dismayed ;  for  I 
am  thy  God :  I  will  strengthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will  help 
thee ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  My 
righteousness.  For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  will  hold  thy 
right  hand,  saying  unto  thee,  fear  not ;  I  will  help  thee."  J 
If  we  feel  daunted  at  the  prospect  that  lies  before  us, 
though  our  course  of  action  be  clear,  let  us  cry  as  Asa 
did,  when  he  set  the  battle  in  array  against  Zerah,  whose 
host  was    a    thousand    i;housand,    and    three   hundred 

*  Ephesians  vi,  10.     f  Philippians  iv,  13.     J  Isaiah  xli,  10, 13. 


346  DETERMINATION    IN    ACTION. 

chariots ;  he  said,  "  Lord  it  is  nothing  with  Thee  to  help, 
whether  with  many,  or  with  them  that  have  no  power ; 
help  us,  O  Lord  our  God ;  for  we  rest  on  Thee,  and  in  Thy 
name  we  go  against  this  multitude.  O  Lord,  Thou  art 
our  God ;  let  not  man  prevail  against  Thee.^^^  Thus  let 
us  cry,  and  in  due  season  we  shall  take  up  the  Psalmist's 
words  and  say,  "  In  the  day  when  I  cried  Thou  answeredst 
me,  and  strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in  my  soul.^'t 
Be  wise,  be  determined  in  the  work  of  the  Lord ;  the 
Psalmist  has  given  you  the  formula  in  which  your  deter- 
mination is  to  be  expressed,  ''  I  will  go  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  God.'' 

*  2  Chroiiicles  xiv,  11.      f  Psalm  cxxxviii,  3. 


347 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


fraise. 


Psalm  vii,  17.  "I  will  praise  the  Lord  accorcliiig  to  His 
righteousness,  and  will  sing  praise  to  the  naine  of  the  Lord  Most 
Ilighr 

Psalm  ix,  1.  ^^  L  will  praise  Thee,  O  Lord,  tvith  my  whole 
heart,  I  will  shew  forth  all  Thy  marvellous  ivo7'7is" 

2.     "  L  ivill  he  glad  and  rejoice  in   Thee,  L  will  sing 

praise  to  Thy  name,  O  Thou  Most  High.^^ 

Psalm  xiii,  6.  "/  will  sing  unto  the  Lord,  because  he  hath 
dealt  bountifully  with  me." 

Psalm  xvi,  7.  "  I  will  bless  the  Lord,  who  hath  given  me 
counsel,  my  reins  also  instruct  me  in  the  night  seaso?is." 

Psalm  xxviii,  7 .  "  The  Lord  is  my  strength  and  my  shield, 
my  heart  trusted  in  Him,  and  L  am  helped,  therefore  my  heart 
greatly  rejoiceth,  and  with  my  song  ivill  L praise  Him." 

Psalm  XXX,  1.  ''Twill  extol  Thee,  O  Lord,  for  Thou  hast 
lifted  me  up,  and  hast  not  made  my  foes  to  rejoice  over  me." 

Psalm  xxxiv,  1.  "  I  ivill  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times.  His  praise 
shall  continually  be  in  my  mouth" 

Psalm    XXXV.    18.     "/  will   give    Thee    thanks    in    the  great 
congregation,  L  will  praise  Thee  among  much  people." 
\^  Psalm  Ixxi,  14.     "  But  L  will  hope  continually,  and  will  yet 
praise  Tliee  more  and  more." 

Psalm  civ,  33.  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as  long  as  I  live, 
I  will  sing  praise  to  my  God  while  I  have  my  being." 

34.      "  My  meditation  of  Him  shall  be  sweet :   I  will 

be  glad  in  the  Lord," 


348  PRAISE. 

Psalm  cviii,  1,  "  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed;  I  will  sing  and 
give  praise  even  with  my  glory ^ 

Psalm  cix,  30.  "  /  will  greatly  jn'aise  the  Lord  with  my 
mouth,  yea,  I  zoill  praise  Him  among  the  multitude.^^ 

Psalm  cxi,  1.  "  Praise  ye  the  Lord,  I  will  praise  the  Lord  with 
my  whole  heart,  in  the  assembly  of  the  upright,  and  in  the 
congregation" 

Psalm  cxviii,  19,  "  Open  to  me  the  gates  of  righteousness,  I 
will  go  into  them,  and  I  will  praise  the  Lord." 

21.     "  L  will  praise  Thee,  for  Thouhast  heard  me,  and 

art  become  my  salvation." 

28.     "  Thou  art   my  God,  and  L  will  praise  Thee ; 

Thou  art  my  God,  I  will  exalt  Thee.'' 

Psalm  cxix,  7.  ^^  I  will  ^^raise  Thee  with  uprightness  of  heart, 
when  I  shall  have  learned  Thy  righteous  judgments." 

Psalm  cxxxviii,  1.  '•^  I  will  praise  Thee  with  my  whole  heart ; 
before  the  gods  will  L  sing  praise  unto  Thee.'^ 

2.     ^^  I  loill  praise  Thy  name  for  Thy  loving-kindness, 

and  for  Thy  truth,  for  Thou  hast  magnified  Thy  word  above  all 
Thy  name." 

Psalm  cxxxix,  14.  "  I  ivill  praise  Thee,  for  L  am  fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made,  marvellous  are  Thy  works,  and  that  my 
soul  knoweth  right  well." 

Psalm  cxliv,  9.  "  /  will  sing  a  new  song  unto  Thee,  O  God; 
upon  a  psaltery  and  an  instrument  of  ten  strings  mill  I  sing 
praises  wito  Thee." 

Psalm  cxlv,  1.  "7  will  extol  Thee,  my  God,  O  King ;  and  I 
will  bless  Thy  name  for  ever  and  ever." 

Psalm  cxlvi,  2.  "  While  I  live  will  I  praise  the  Lord,  I 
will  sing  p>raises  unto  my  God  while  I  have  any  beings 

THE  Christianas  life  may  be  compared  to  the  mountain 
stream,  whose  rise  is  always  small,  and  often 
shrouded  in  remoteness,  whose  progress  is  varied,  but 
whose  destination  is  ever  to  the  open  sea. 

Here  and  there  you  find  in  such  streams  the  deep  and 
shaded  pool,  where  all  is  silent,  and  where,  as  we  look 


PRAISE.  349 

into  it^  a  dreamy  sense  of  mystery  comes  over  the  soul. 
And  on  a  little  further,  all  is  changed;  in  swift  and 
naiTow  current  the  water  seems  hurrying  in  earnest  to 
some  distant  goal,  and  though  there  is  so  much  motion 
there  is  no  sound ;  all  is  motion,  but  all  is  silence  too. 
On  yet  a  little  further,  and  the  same  waters  have  changed 
their  character,  and  they  ripple  with  murmuring  music 
over  the  smooth  pebbles  which  break  them  into  tiny 
waves,  and  make  them  dance  like  sunbeams  in  the 
brilliant  light  of  the  summer  day.  But  that  which, 
perhaps  beyond  all  other  features  of  the  stream,  attracts 
our  attention  most,  is  the  bright  cascade.  Full  of 
exhilaration  and  life,  the  stream  bounds  over  the  precipice 
of  stone,  and  every  drop  becomes  a  diamond,  and  the 
sunshine  crowns  it  with  a  rainbow,  spanning  the  wreathing 
mist  with  its  many-colored  arch ;  and  we  almost  feel  our 
own  hearts  leap  with  the  leaping  waters,  as  they  sparkle 
and  effervesce,  and  boil,  and  weave  veils  of  watery 
vapour,  and  form  rings  of  seething  foam,  and  then  haste 
away,  laden  with  bubbles  all  tinted  with  the  brightest 
hues,  as  though  they  had  real  youth  and  life,  and  were 
off  to  some  wedding  feast. 

Such  is  the  mountain  stream ;  such  I  might  also  add, 
often  is  the  child  of  God.  His  life  is  varied  indeed ;  he 
has  seasons  of  deep,  and  silent,  and  mysterious  experi- 
ences ;  he  has  times  of  rapid,  silent,  earnest  action ;  he 
has  days  of  softly  murmuring  happiness ;  why  should  he 
not  also  have  times  of  praise — ^joyous,  joyous  times — 
effervescing  times,  when  all  the  heart  rushes  forth  to 
God,  in  brightness,  and  energy,  and  joy  ?  Daily  praise 
should  ascend  from  each  of  us  to  God,  as  the  perfume  of 
the  daily  sacrifice  ascended  in  olden  times  ;    there  must 

H  H 


350  PRAISE. 

not  be  fewer  sacrifices  under  tlie  new  dispensation  than 
there  were  under  the  old ;  we  are  priests  to  offer  unto 
God  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  (Hebrews 
xiii,  15.)  Alas  !  the  dull  and  monotonous  canal^  with 
its  muddy  banks^  is  more  like  many  a  Christian  than 
this  dazzling^  leaping^  living  mountain  stream  !  Praising 
Christians  are  very  few  in  number^  and  very  faint  in 
their  work ;  they  bear  scarce  any  proportion  to  praying 
1  Christians ;  we  shall  not  be  far  astray  if  we  say  that 
,'  God  hears  a  hundred  prayers  for  every  song  of  praise. 
How  shall  w^e  account  for  this  ?  One  reason  of  this 
sad  shortcoming  is  to  be  found  in  the  natural  ingratitude 
of  the  human  heart.  The  heart  of  poor  fallen  man  is 
ungrateful  by  nature ;  and  that  ingratitude  is  especially 
shewn  towards  God  ;  it  is  harder  for  man  to  acknowledge 
a  favour  from  God  than  from  his  fellow  man.  We  act 
as  though  we  had  a  right  to  expect  from  God_,  and  unless 
grace  come  in  and  sanctify  our  souls,  bringing  with  it 
gratitude  as  well  as  other  good  things_,  we  shall  not  give 
God  such  praise  as  he  desires  to  hear;  praise  which 
comes  from  the  heart  and  the  hearths  feelings,  and  is  not 
a  mere  acknowledgment  of  mercy  received,  as  cold  and 
business  like  a  thing  as  a  common  stamped  receipt. 

We  can  find  in  the  giddy  and  non-apprehensive  charac- 
tcr  of  the  fallen  heart  a  further  cause  of  shortcoming  in 
praise.  How  much  giddiness  remains  in  even  thoughtful 
people  of  God !  Tiiey  suffer  themselves  to  be  whirled 
along  from  one  thing  to  another,  without  pausing  to 
think  of  how  much  they  owe  to  God  in  all  these  cii'cum- 
stanccs  and  events.  There  is  thought  in  ail  the  music 
of  the  grand  masters  of  olden  time ;  the  strain  may  be 
simple,  but  it  is  thoughtful ;  for  want  of  thought  we  fail 


PRAISE.  351 

in  praise.  The  non- apprehensive  character  of  the  human 
heart  is  a  further  sore  impediment  to  praise.  Events  are 
continually  occurring  in  which  God's  gracious  and 
merciful  dealings  with  us  are  to  he  seen,  but  we  do  not 
see  them,  because  we  are  weak  in  apprehensive  power, 
aud  the  consequence  is  we  do  not  praise.  No  wonder  if 
we  do  not  praise,  when  we  do  not  see  what  we  have  to 
praise  for.  It  may  be  that  many  of  these  things  will 
come  to  light  hereafter ;  that  in  eternity  we  shall  read 
the  history  of  our  past  lives,  with  all  God^s  mercy  both 
in  giving  and  withholding,  in  ordering  and  restraining ; 
and  then  being  gifted  with  apprehensive  power  of  the 
keenest  nature,  we  shall  be  able  to  praise  with  full  deep 
meaning  in  our  songs. 

Let  us  consider  farther — the  deadness  of  the  atmosphere 
in  which  the  human  heart  has  to  live  and  to  beat.  It  is 
very  hard  for  the  body  to  feel  elasticity  and  exhilaration 
in  a  dull  and  heavy  atmosphere ;  when  oxygen  is  scarce 
the  spirits  soon  begin  to  flag.  We  know  by  experience 
the  effects  of  atmosphere;  there  are  dull  heavy  days 
when  we  are  fit  for  scarce  anything,  when  our  arms 
droop  by  our  sides  and  we  drag  our  feet  along,  and  when 
it  would  be  intolerable  exertion  to  sing;  such  an 
atmosphere  as  this  is  very  often  round  about  the  soul, 
its  weight  oppresses  the  heart.  It  is  hard  to  praise 
when  we  ^'  dwell  in  Mesach  and  sojourn  in  the  tents  of 
Kedar;"  "how  shall  we  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a 
strange  land?"  Our  own  family  influence  may  be 
depressing,  the  aspect  of  religious  and  congregational 
affairs  may  be  gloomy,  the  people  we  are  thrown  into 
company  with  may  be  uncongenial,  and  thus,  without 
any  immediate  sorrow  closing  our  lips,  we  may  find  that 


352  PRAISE. 

they  are  closed,  and  that  we  cannot  open  them  in  praise, 
Por  this  there  is  one  remedy,  and  but  one.  As  the 
diver  when  deep  beneath  the  waves  draws  his  supplies 
from  above,  so  must  we ;  we  must  seek  for  something 
purer  and  better  than  that  which  we  have  to  breathe 
around.  We  may  get  this  pm-er  air  in  two  ways ;  the 
Lord  may  enable  us  to  climb  to  some  height  where  we 
shall  be  above  the  rolling  fogs  or  cold  and  clammy 
mists,  or  He  may  leave  us  amongst  these  and  yet  supply 
us  immediately  from  Himself,  just  as  those  who  are 
floating  upon  the  water  supply  the  diver  who  is  beneath. 
Man  can  be  thus  supplied,  God  can  breathe  into  him. 
He  can  command  a  connecting  medium  between  His 
oppressed  servant  and  the  atmosphere  of  heaven,  and 
through  that  medium  the  exhilarating  atmosphere  of 
what  is  pure  and  holy  may  be  breathed.  When  we 
complain  of  what  is  around  us,  let  us  remember  that 
although  we  cannot  alter  our  surrounding  atmosphere, 
still  the  fault  that  we  have  no  better  is  with  ourselves ; 
we  gasp,  we  languish,  we  are  depressed  yet  all  the  while 
it  is  possible  to  be  so  happy  as  to  sing  a  song  of  praise. 

Now  all  this  entails  loss.  Man  was  made  to  be  a 
praising  being,  and  he  cannot  come  short  without  there 
being  loss.  There  is  always  loss  when  God^s  design  is 
not  carried  out.  Man  was  originally  designed  more  for 
praise  than  for  prayer,  it  is  since  his  faU  that  he  has 
become  the  reverse,  more  a  being  of  prayer  than  praise. 
It  is  difficult  to  imagine  what  Adam  could  have  wanted 
to  pray  for  in  Paradise ;  he  had  everything  that  could 
conduce  to  his  good,  or  that  he  could  imagine  to  conduce 
to  his  good  j  if  he  had  no  want,  if  he  felt  none,  what 
was  there  to  call  forth  prayer  ?     But  there  was  a  great 


PRAISE.  353 

deal  to  call  forth  praise;  every  tree  aud  herb^  every 
animal  and  insect  was  wonderful ;  the  flowers  with  their 
perfumes,  the  fruits  with  their  varied  flavours,,  the  very 
enjoyment  of  existence  both  in  body  and  soul,  all  called 
forth  the  song  of  praise ;  we  can  conceive  of  no  other 
worship  in  Paradise  before  the  fall,  except  this  of  praise. 

But  God^s  design  is  not  to  be  for  ever  marred  by  the 
Devil ;  His  people  are  made  for  His  praise ;  praise  is  His 
revenue,  and  He  will  not  remit  it  because  man  has 
fallen.  Prayer  has  come  in,  but  prayer  does  not  dispense 
with  praise ;  prayer  should  travail  in  birth  to  bring  forth 
praise. 

Well  then,  since  God  still  requires  praise  from  man, 
and  since  He  has  given  him  abundant  materials  for  praise 
in  "  his  creation  and  preservation,  and  all  the  blessings 
of  this  life,  but  above  all  in  His  inestimable  love  in  the 
redemption  of  the  world,  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
the  means  of  grace  and  in  the  hope  of  glory,^^  we  may 
well  expect  to  find  loss,  unless  His  requirement  be 
carried  out ;  and  the  loss  in  this  case  will  be  very  similar 
to  that  which  is  entailed  in  the  matter  of  Ministry  and 
Testimony.  God^s  honour  is  robbed,  the  aspect  in 
which  His  people  present  Him  and  His  service  to  the 
world  is  one  of  gloom ;  He  is  misrepresented  in  the  eyes 
of  those  who  are  on  the  watch  for  everything  that  can 
detract  from  His  claims  for  service  ;  they  say,  "  look  at 
that  long-visaged  creature,  with  his  head  bent  down, 
and  his  eyes  lustreless,  and  his  breath  all  spent  in  sighs, 
there  is  what  religion  does  for  a  man,  come  along  with 
us,  you  see  religion  cannot  do  much  towards  making  a 
man  happy .^^  Besides  which,  God  is  robbed  directly ; 
He  hears  the  praises  of  the  angel  and  the  archangel ;  all 

H    H   3 


854  PRAISE. 

around  His  tlirone  are  possessed  with  a  praising  spirit ; 
the  souls  of  those  in  blessedness  are  full  of  praise  and 
joy ;  on  earth  alone  there  is  silence,  or  it  may  be  here 
and  there  the  scanty  notes  of  isolated  song.  On  earth ! 
and  who  are  to  be  found  on  earth  ?  Men  who  are  daily 
and  hourly  helped  by  Him ;  men  who  have  been  saved 
from  perdition  by  Him ;  men  who  were  purchased  at  the 
price  of  the  bloodshedding  of  His  own  Son ;  men  who 
have  outstretched  before  them  a  glorious  eternity ;  surely 
from  such  God  might  well  claim  the  song  of  praise. 

The  world  also  suffers.  We  are  bound  to  impress  the 
world,  so  far  as  we  can,  so  far  as  our  influence  and 
example  reach ;  and  what  impression  do  we  leave  in  this 
matter  of  praise  ?  Can  we  say  that  we  have  given  any 
company  in  which  we  have  been,  or  any  individual  with 
whom  we  have  associated,  the  idea  that  it  is  a  pleasant 
thing  to  serve  the  Lord?  Have  we  been  whining  and 
complaining  Christians,  or  tart  and  twisted  Christians,  or 
stiff,  starched  Christians,  or  mourning  and  melancholy 
Christians,  any,  every  kind  of  Christian,  except  a 
praising  one  ?  We  have  met  with  Christians  of  all  the 
above  mentioned  kinds;  we  believe  they  were  real 
Christians,  but  some  of  them,  as  has  been  well  remarked, 
it  would  be  quite  time  enough  to  know  when  we  meet  in 
heaven.  Well,  what  have  we  been?  What,  dear  reader, 
have  you  been  ?  Has  your  union  with  Christ  ever  lit  up 
a  brilliant  light  in  your  eyes,  or  made  a  sweet  smile  play 
around  your  mouth;  such  a  light  as  no  artist  ever 
painted,  such  a  smile  as  no  sculptor  ever  chiselled.  And 
did  men  say  to  themselves  ^'  That  is  a  happy  man ;"  and 
did  they  feel  that  your  smile  and  your  cheerfulness 
recommended  religion,  and  did  they  begin  to  think  that 


PRAISE.  355 

religion  opened  the  door  to  enjoyment^  and  not  to  misery 
and  woe  ?  These  are  important  questions,  and  it  will  be 
well  for  us  to  think  what  our  influence  upon  our  fellow 
men  really  has  been.  A  Christian  may  often  do  more 
with  one  smile  than  with  fift}^  frowns ;  more  with  one 
song  of  praise,  than  with  a  thousand  denunciations  of 
woe.  How  can  the  world  believe  that  religion  makes 
men  happy,  unless  it  sees  that  it  does  so  ?  We  cannot 
expect  the  world  to  walk  by  faith ;  it  walks  by  sight ;  it 
judges  by  the  seeing  of  the  eye,  and  by  the  hearing  of 
the  ear ;  and  that  being  the  case,  let  us  give  it  a  smile  to 
see,  and  a  song  to  hear. 

And  now  let  us  turn  to  ourselves.  We  lose  grievously 
by  not  having  a  praising  spirit.  We  have  not  that 
elasticity  and  spring  which,  as  was  shewn  in  the  chapter 
on  "Heartiness  in  Action,"  would  make  us  bound 
forward  on  our  heavenward  journey,  and  set  cheerftdly 
about  our  spiritual  work.  The  sailors  give  a  cheery  cry 
as  they  weigh  the  anchor ;  the  ploughman  whistles  in 
the  morning  as  he  drives  his  team ;  the  milkmaid  sings 
her  rustic  song  as  she  sets  about  her  early  task ;  when 
soldiers  are  leaving  the  town  in  which  they  have  been 
quartered,  and  their  spirits  are  supposed  to  be  likely  to 
be  affected  at  leaving  friends  behind,  they  do  not  march 
out  to  the  tune  of  the  "  Dead  March  in  Saul,"  but  to 
the  quick  notes  of  some  lively  air.  A  praising  spirit 
would  do  for  us,  all  that  their  songs  and  music  do  for 
them;  and  if  only  we  could  determine  to  praise  the 
Lord,  we  should  surmount  many  a  difficulty,  which  our 
low  spirits  never  would  have  been  equal  to,  and  we 
should  do  double  the  work  which  can  be  done  if  the 
heart  be  languid  in  its  beatings,  if  we  be  crushed  and 


356  PRAISE. 

trodden  down  in  soul.  As  the  evil  spirit  in  Saul  yielded 
in  olden  time  to  tlie  influence  of  the  harp  of  the  son  of 
Jesse,  so  would  the  spirit  of  melancholy  often  take  flight 
fi'om  us,  if  only  we  would  take  up  the  song  of  praise. 

The  spirit  of  merriment  is,  above  all  others,  the  most 
infectious.  It  spreads  from  one  to  another  in  company; 
if  it  once  commence,  it  generally  rapidly  increases  in  an 
individual;  and  thus  should  it  be  in  the  holy  joy  and 
exhilaration  of  the  heart,  it  should  spread  over  the  soul. 
'^  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me 
bless  His  holy  name.^'  Thus  sang  the  Psalmist.  Thus 
should  we  sing  too.  We  should  with  him  issue  this, 
which  is  one  of  the  grandest  invocations  which  can  be 
uttered,  and  which  is  addressed  to  one  of  the  noblest 
audiences  that  can  be  convoked.  The  Psalmist  peals  & 
summons  through  all  the  courts  and  chambers  of  his 
being,  and  calls  forth  every  capacity  of  his  nature,  that 
one  and  all,  they  might  join  in  a  vast  chorus,  of  which 
the  name  of  God  should  be  the  theme,  and  the  glory  of 
God  the  end.  It  seems  as  though  he  gathered  into  some 
one  vast  inner  chamber  his  powers  of  thought,  and 
memory,  and  hope,  and  fear,  and  love,  and  that  he  gave 
charge  to  his  soul  to  be  the  leader  of  this  choir,  yea,  to 
be  the  very  soul  to  it,  breathing  life  and  sense  into  its 
melody,  to  give  the  key  note  to  its  chants,  and  to  rule 
its  song.  Yes  !  as  David  did,  so  let  us  do  also.  Each 
man  has  within  his  own  bosom  the  materials  for  a  choir, 
as  tuneful  as  any  which  ever  stood  in  surpliced  array 
beneath  the  cathedraFs  fretted  roof;  a  choir  with  fuU, 
deep,  rich  voices,  whose  anthems  can  swell,  whose 
choruses  can  peal  upwards — upward,  upward,  far  above 
the  din  and  turmoil  of  the  earth,  until  they  float  into 


PRAISE.  357 

the  presence  of  God  Himself,  and  mingle,  it  may  be, 
with  the  myriad  voices  of  those  whose  praises  are  ever 
heard  around  the  throne. 

Let  us  turn  now  to  some  of  the  particulars  for  which 
the  Psalmist  declared  that  he  would  praise  God.  We 
shall  confine  ourselves  to  such  as  we  find  mentioned  in 
the  verses  at  the  heading  of  this  chapter,  and  to  the 
points  immediately  connected  with  them.  The  first 
which  we  are  to  notice  is  that  found  in  Psalm  cxxxix,  14. 
''  I  will  praise  Thee,  for  I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
made.^' 

We  think  but  little  of  our  personal  creation,  and  it 
may  be  that  we  have  but  very  seldom  really  praised  God 
for  His  wonderful  dealings  towards  us  in  our  physical 
frames.  The  Psalmist  saw  enough  in  his  own  body  to 
excite  his  praise ;  so  might  we  in  ours,  and  that  without 
going  very  deep  into  the  anatomical  mysteries  of  muscles, 
and  bones,  and  nerves. 

The  daily  powers  of  enjoyment  which  we  possess  in  our 
bodies  should  excite  our  praise.  It  seems,  no  doubt,  a 
small  and  common  operation  enough,  to  eat  one's 
breakfast,  dinner,  or  supper,  and  we  generally  thank 
God,  by  means  of  a  grace,  for  the  provision ;  but  does  it 
ever  strike  us,  how  much  we  have  to  be  thankful  for,  in 
the  bare  fact,  that  we  are  able  to  digest  that  food  ?  The 
horrors  of  indigestion  are  many,  and  take  a  multitude  of 
forms.  We  are  told  by  physicians  that  uneasy  sensations 
of  all  kinds,  heart-burn,  lassitude,  weariness,  headache, 
sickness,  broken  sleep,  loss  of  appetite,  horrid  dreams, 
irritable  temper,  are  some  of  its  accompaniments ;  and  if 
we  were  to  trace  them  any  further,  we  should  see  them 


358  PRAISE. 

assuming  tlie  dimensions  of  evil  of  a  most  formidable 
kind.  Many  a  man's  life  has  been  made  a  burden  to 
liim_,  from  the  simple  fact^  that  his  digestive  powers  were 
bad.  Well !  if  you,  dear  friend  can  eat  common  food_,  to 
make  no  mention  of  dainties,  do  you  ever  think  how 
much  you  have  to  be  thankful  for,  and  how  much  you 
ought  to  praise  God  for  ?  See  what  has  to  take  place, 
before  that  common  process  of  digestion  can  be  satisfac- 
torily and  comfortably  accomplished.  Before  your  food 
descends  into  the  stomach  it  must  have  prepared,  and 
in  readiness  to  receive  it,  a  sufficiency  of  that  important 
fluid  known  as  gastric  juice.  When  the  food  is  dissolved 
by  this  gastric  juice,  and  changed  into  the  greyish  or 
whitish  pulp  called  chyme,  your  food,  thus  dissolved, 
is  slowly  conveyed,  by  a  curious  motion  of  the  stomach, 
to  its  right  and  lower  extremity,  which  is  called  the 
pylorus ;  i.e.,  the  door,  or  outergate  of  the  stomach,  or, 
as  some  call  it,  the  door  keeper.  That  pylorus  or  door 
keeper,  is  in  itself  a  wonderful  study;  it  seems  to 
exercise  a  sort  of  choice ;  for  if  anything  present  itself 
there,  which  is  not  proper  to  be  conveyed  into  the 
system,  or  not  well  adapted  for  making  blood,  it  does  not 
for  some  time  suffer  it  to  pass.  After  this  the  chyme 
has  to  be  mixed  with  the  bitter  fluid  called  bile,  which 
comes  through  a  small  pipe  from  the  liver,  and  also  with 
another  liquor  resembling  saliva,  proceeding  from  what 
is  popularly  called  the  '^  sweetbread."  The  chyle  is  now 
conveyed  along  in  a  number  of  minute  vessels,  which  all 
meet  in  a  common  trunk  or  receptacle,  upon  the  first  or 
upper  vertebra  of  the  loins.  From  this  receptacle  one 
or  more  pipes  carry  it  upwards,  on  the  right  side  of  the 
spine,    towards    the   top   of  the   left   shoulder,    where. 


PRAISE.  359 

meeting  the  great  vein  whicli  brings  back  the  blood  from 
the  left  arm  J  it  empties  its  contents.  Then  the  chyle 
mixes  with  the  blood,  which  immediately  descending 
into  the  heart,  passes  through  the  lungs  to  undergo  a 
peculiar  and  important  process,  which  we  cannot  enter 
on  here."^  When  we  take  all  this  into  account,  and  bear 
in  mind  how  fearfully  and  wonderfully  we  are  made,  and 
how  many  evils  are  averted  from  us  in  this  one  matter, 
surely  we  shall  see  that  we  have  cause  for  praising  God. 

Then  take  the  air  we  breathe.  Perhaps  it  seems  a 
small  thing  to  some  of  our  readers  that  they  have  air  to 
breathe,  and  it  is  an  equally  small  thing  that  they  are 
able  to  breathe  it ;  but  let  them  look  at  the  man  afflicted 
with  asthma,  gasping,  fighting  for  a  breath,  to  whom  it 
would  be  almost  heaven  upon  earth  to  breathe  freely 
even  the  air  laden  with  what  we  should  call  the  most 
nauseous  smell,  and  such  a  sight  would  do  them  good; 
they  would  then  see  that  well  might  some  of  their  breath 
be  spent  in  praising  God,  seeing  to  Him  they  owe  every 
breath  they  draw. 

Look  also  at  the  almost  continual  immunity  from  pain 
which  many  of  our  readers  enjoy.  By  far  the  largest 
number  have  little  more  than  an  occasional  ache,  just 
enough,  if  they  used  it  aright,  to  shew  them  how  great 
their  mercy  is,  in  daily  exemption  from  suffering.  Sup- 
pose when  you  have  a  toothache,  it  were  to  become 
permanent;  suppose  when  your  head  were  racked  with 
this  pain,  you  also  had  what  a  holy  man  who  suffered 
excruciatingly,  called,  "  the  toothache  in  his  back ! ''  in  a 
word,  suppose  you  were  a  continual  sufferer,  instead  of 

•  See  a  very  interesting  and  intelligible  little  book  called 
"  The  House  I  live  in." 


360  PRAISE. 

being  as  you  are,  and  were  reduced  to  saying  as  one  of 
old  did,  "thank  God  for  four  and  twenty  hours  with- 
out pain/'  then  you  would  know  how  much  you  had  to 
shew  a  praising  spirit  for,  when  you  were  simply  free  from 
pain.  The  body  of  man  should  be  like  a  well- tuned 
harp,  every  muscle  and  nerve  should  be  like  an  har- 
monious string,  and  from  them  all,  the  thankful  soul 
should  draw  God^s  just  tribute  of  thanksgiving  and  of 
praise;  and  be  it  so,  that  there  are  some  strings  which 
He  has  touched  with  a  chastening  hand,  even  from  them 
in  a  minor  key  may  be  heard  a  sound  of  song;  praise 
that  pain  is  no  worse,  praise  even  from  them;  praise 
that  support  is  given  for  bearing  it;  praise  that  a  time 
is  coming  when  there  shall  be  pain  no  more,  neither 
sorrow,  nor  crying,  for  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes." 

Our  daily  powers  of  enjoyment  in  common  things,  to 
say  nothing  of  countless  extraordinary  favors,  should 
stir  our  hearts,  when  we  consider  how  fearfully  and 
wonderfully  we  are  made.  Think,  dear  reader,  of  this; 
and  remember  that  God  can  teach  men  to  praise,  not 
only  by  pleasure,  but  by  pain;  this  latter  is  often  the 
discipline  of  the  rod,  a  messenger  just  sent  to  remind  us 
of  mercies  for  which  we  forget  to  praise. 

If  we  pass  from  our  personal  creation  to  our  daily 
powers  of  enjoyment ^  how  much  have  we  here  also  to  stir 
our  praise?  Let  us  look  at  the  sky  over  our  heads, 
what  a  lovely  prospect  have  we  even  there !  Had  God 
chosen.  He  miglit  have  made  the  sky  of  a  dull  and  leaden 
hue ;  if  the  atmosphere  were  duly  supplied  with  oxygen, 
we  could  live  under  a  leaden  sky,  as  well  as  under  one  of 
the  most  gorgeous  tints ;  there  is  no  absolute  necessity 


PRAISE.  361 

for  the  beauty^  and  oftentimes  the  splendour  which  meets 
our  eye  when  we  look  up.  At  one  hour  we  see  the  sky 
a  deep  liquid  blue^  without  a  cloud  or  spot;  then  we 
have  presented  to  us  pillared  masses  of  resplendent 
cloud,  reminding  us  of  the  great  white  throne  which 
shall  be  set ;  and  then  the  scene  changes  again,  and  the 
pillared  cloud  is  removed,  and  smaller  clouds,  all 
glittering  in  the  sunshine,  with  swift  yet  stately  motion, 
traverse  that  field  of  blue,  and  we  think  of  the  armies  of 
heaven  which  follow  Jesus  on  white  horses.  Oh !  that 
sky  is  a  grand  and  noble  object  of  contemplation,  and  if 
only  God  teach  us  by  His  own  handiwork,  our  hearts 
may  be  elevated  indeed  by  looking  at  its  glories.  There 
go  the  pall-like  clouds  with  their  golden  fringes,  and 
their  silver  linings,  telling  us  that  there  is  wealth  at- 
tached even  to  our  darkest  sorrows ;  there  lie  scattered 
all  over  the  heavens  the  dappled  masses  of  silver  and 
gold,  as  though  the  Lord  of  glory  had  Himself  passed 
by  that  way,  and  it  had  been  strewn  for  His  feet  by 
adoring  angels^  hands;  yonder  the  heavens  are  over- 
spread with  a  burnished  sheet,  as  though  the  sun  would 
remind  us  as  he  set,  of  what  shall  be  the  portion  of  the 
Lord^s  people  after  their  lifers  sun  setting,  even  the  city 
of  gold.  Times  there  are  when  the  jasper,  the  sapphire, 
the  chalcedony,  the  emerald,  the  sardonyx,  the  sardius, 
the  chrysolite,  the  beryl,  the  topaz,  the  chrysoprasus,  the 
jacynth,  and  the  amethyst,  seem  ail  flung  in  wild 
confusion  abroad  upon  that  sky ;  or  when,  amid  its  ever 
changing  hues,  they  seem  to  melt  into,  or  give  place  to 
one  another ;  and  if  we  look  at  this  sky  as  it  is,  and  as  it 
might  have  been,  is  there  not  cause  for  praise,  even  as 
we  look  up?      But  it  is    impossible  to  sum   up  man^s 

I  I 


362  PRAISE, 

daily  powers  of  enjoyment;  let  the  reader  just  lay  down 
this  book  for  a  few  moments^  and  bethink  him  of  what 
has  fallen  to  his  lot,  and  he  will  see  that  he  is  acting  an 
ungrateful  part^  if  he  will  not  praise. 

Nor  must  we  forget  God^s  gracious  provision  for  His 
people^  in  suffering.  There  are  many  of  God^s  suffering 
ones  on  earth.  They  are  laid  on  beds  of  sickness ;  they 
have  hours  of  solitude ;  their  food  is  like  bitter  herbs ; 
their  drink  like  vinegar ;  their  clothing  is^  it  may  be,  the 
bandages  of  their  sores,  and  each  breath  they  draw  is 
sorrow ;  but  if  they  be  God^s  suffering  ones,  then,  despite 
all  this,  they  have  cause  to  praise.  We  have  met  the 
suffering  ones  of  the  Kingdom  up  in  attics,  almost  above 
the  hum  of  the  crowded  street ;  down  in  cellars,  almost 
beneath  the  vibrations  of  the  loaded  waggons ;  we  have 
seen  them  in  the  morning,  and  they  were  suffering,  and 
at  noon,  and  they  were  suffering,  and  at  eventide,  and 
they  were  suffering :  but  we  have  also  seen  them  happy 
and  praising,  in  the  morning,  and  at  noon,  and  at  even- 
tide again.  And  how  was  this?  They  were  not  left  of 
God,  because  they  had  not  received  one  kind  of  blessing ; 
no  !  He  had  given  to  them  largely,  only  in  another  way ; 
they  had  the  sick  man's  blessings — blessed  foretastes  of 
what  was  laid  up  for  them  at  their  journey's  end ;  high 
thoughts  of  how  they  were  glorifying  God  in  suffering; 
special  communings  with  Jesus,  and  comforts  from  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  good  cause  for  praise  have  many 
suffering  ones,  when  they  think  of  how  much  and  how 
tridy  they  can  glorify  God  in  simple  endurance.  God 
can  be  as  much  glorified  in  endurance  as  in  action ;  there 
is  often  more  action  in  endurance  than  meets  the  common 
eye.  We  would  say  to  the  dear  afflicted  children  of  God, 


PRAISE.  363 

"  you  occupy  a  real  and  an  important  position  in  the 
army  of  God,  and  you  are  taking  an  effective  part  in  the 
great  operations  which  are  being  carried  on/^  The 
rifleman  in  his  sombre  suit,  is  hidden  away  from  sight  in 
the  waving  corn,  or  behind  a  tree  or  stone,  but  he  is 
taking  part  in  the  engagement,  as  much  as  the  artillery- 
man who  stands  to  his  gun,  or  the  dragoon  whose 
polished  helmet,  and  glittering  sword,  are  seen  flashing 
in  the  charge  ;  and  the  garrison  who  defend  an  important 
fortress,  and  keep  watch  and  ward  for  long  days  and 
nights,  and  at  the  utmost  but  resist  assault  with  success, 
are  as  truly  engaged  in  the  great  conflict,  as  those  who 
fight  and  are  seen  in  the  more  open  field  ;  so  the  suffering 
ones  of  God,  hidden  away  from  sight,  engaged  in  bearing 
pain  without  a  murmur,  in  exercising  patience  as  for 
Jesus,  and  in  the  presence  of  evil  spirits,  are  just  as  much 
engaged  in  the  great  conflict  between  good  and  evil,  as 
the  minister  who  is  occupied  in  more  public  ministrations, 
and  whose  name,  as  a  devoted  man  of  action,  may  be 
well  known  throughout  the  church  of  God.  Encourage 
the  suffering  ones  of  the  Lord  with  this  thought ;  say  to 
them,  ^'  every  day  you  are  fighting  in  the  presence  of  evil 
spirits;  every  day  you  may  win  fresh  glory  to  your 
celestial  crown;  every  day  you  also  are  on  the  great 
battle  field,  and  shall  have  part  in  the  distribution  of  the 
spoil."  Such  a  view  of  illness  as  this,  will  cheer  some 
desponding  friend ;  he  will  no  longer  say,  "  I  am  left 
alone ; "  he  will  have  a  fresh  motive  in  suffering  patiently ; 
he  will  feel  all  the  interest  of  an  active  position ;  he  too,  he 
will  feel,  is  a  soldier  on  active  service ;  and  even  amid  the 
groanings  of  the  flesh,  will  be  heard  the  praisings  of  the 


364  PRAISE. 

spirit.  There  is  deep  reality  in  the  notes  of  sick-bed 
praise. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  Psalmist's  praise  for  God^s 
"  bountiful  dealing"  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord,  because 
He  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  me.'^     Psalm  xiii,  6. 

The  position  in  which  we  find  this  verse  is  worthy  of 
remark.  We  find  it  coming  in  at  the  end  of  a  Psalm, 
almost  every  word  of  which  is  about  danger  and  sorrow. 
Many  trials  are  spoken  of  and  recognised,  but  they  are 
not  allowed  to  hide  out  the  bountiful  dealing  of  God. 
Now  it  often  happens  that  we  fail  to  recognise  God's 
bountiful  dealing,  when  we  have  had  some  recent  trial. 
We  allow  the  trial,  with  its  thoughts  and  sorrows  to 
swallow  us  up,  and  to  hide  the  bounty  of  God's  dealings 
towards  us.  We  are  tempted  to  act  by  God,  just  as  man 
in  a  petulant  temper,  often  acts  by  his  fellow-man ;  we 
forget  in  a  present  refusal,  all  former  gifts — in  what  we 
think  a  present  slight,  all  former  favom^s.  We  are  like 
the  Israelites,  who  as  soon  as  they  came  into  some 
temporary  difficulty  or  distress,  were  forgetful  of  all  that 
God  had  done  for  them,  in  bringing  them  forth  from  the 
land  of  Egypt.  This  is  a  point  in  which  we  must  be  on 
our  guard  ;  Satan  will  be  sure  to  fix  our  minds  upon  this 
recent  trouble ;  he  will  in  efiect  say,  "  What !  with  this 
before  you,  wliile  you  are  actually  smarting  from  it,  can 
you  talk  of  the  bounty  of  God?"  Even  so;  with  this 
actually  before  us,  actually  pressing  upon  us,  ours  must 
be  the  spirit  which  says,  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord 
hath  taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.'' 

We  must  be  on  our  guard  also  against  a  readiness  to 
detract  from  God^s  dealings  with  us.      This  spirit  of 


PRAISE.  365 

detraction  is  only  too  common,  and  it  has  a  most  baleful 
effect  upon  the  spirit  of  Praise.  It  hides  out  the 
greatness  of  God  in  action ;  it  mixes  up  His  dealings 
with  circumstances;  and  we,  ever  looking  at  the  seen 
rather  than  the  unseen,  dwell  upon  the  persons  and 
circumstances  brought  into  play,  and  not  upon  God,  who 
put  them  into  motion,  to  produce  the  desired  result. 
For  example,  I  need  a  sum  of  money — say  a  thousand 
pounds — to  carry  out  some  design  for  God ;  I  seek  it  from 
the  Lord ;  I  do  not  seek  it  from  man,  but  simply  and 
du'ectly  from  God ;  surely,  if  it  be  sent,  the  praise  should 
be  given  to  Him  alone.  In  answer  to  prayer  the  needed 
sum  begins  to  drop  in ;  now  in  pence,  now  in  pounds, 
now  in  larger  sums ;  Satan  however  is  at  hand  to  detract ; 
he  says,  "  yes,  it  is  true  this  money  is  coming,  but  then 
it  is  by  natural  means ;  God  is  not  to  be  so  immediately 
praised  and  thanked  as  you  think ;  that  pound  came  from 
a  person  who  knew  you,  and  who  never  would  have 
given  anything  but  for  that ;  and  that  cheque  came  from 
a  man  who  never  would  have  given  it  but  that  he  is 
personally  connected  with  the  place;"  and  thus  Satan 
goes  on  trying  to  account  for  every  farthing,  and  by 
producing  human  agencies  endeavours  to  rob  God  of 
the  praise  which  is  His  due.  We  may  be  able  to  account 
for  almost  every  farthing ;  but  if  the  money  had  been 
sought  from  God,  and  not  from  man  at  all,  the  very  fact 
of  its  having  come,  should  draw  forth  our  praise,  for  the 
right  hand  of  the  Lord  has  brought  mighty  things  to 
pass.  So,  if  we  have  a  dear  friend,  for  whom  we  have 
prayed,  restored   to   health,    Satan  whispers,  "  It   was 

Dr. who  cured  him,  what  a  clever  man  !"     Or 

'^  it  was  such  and  such  a  medicine ;  recommend  it  to  all 

I  I  2 


366  PRAISE. 

your  friends ! "  and  thus  the  means  are  made  to  detract 
from  the  One  by  whom  the  means  were  given,  and  by 
whom  the  use  of  the  means  was  taught.  If  we  are  to 
have  a  praising  spirit,  we  must  be  on  our  guard  against 
these  detractions  of  Satan's,  or  very  soon  we  shall  find 
ourselves  giving  to  the  creature  that  which  belongs  to 
the  Creator;  instead  of  the  praise  of  God  we  shall  be 
engaged  with  the  praise  of  man.  We  must  fix  our  eye 
steadily  upon  Him ;  we  must  say,  "  This  comes,  O  Lord, 
from  Thee ;  to  Thee,  and  Thee  only,  be  the  praise." 

There  are  certain  seasons  when  the  dealings  of  God 
are  apj^arently  unbountijul,  and  we  must  be  on  our 
guard,  lest,  at  such  seasons,  Satan  deprive  us  of  a 
praising  spirit.  We  are  often  not  permitted  to  have  our 
own  way ;  we  are  not  given  what  we  Avish  for,  perhaps 
what  we  think  we  want.  When  this  is  the  case,  we  are 
very  apt  to  think  that  God  is  not  bountiful  in  His  deal- 
ings towards  us ;  and  however  much  we  may  be  resigned, 
we  can  hardly  attain  to  a  spu'it  of  praise  ;  but  what  is  the 
issue  of  this?  We  are  kept  from  some  evil — stopped 
upon  a  road  at  the  end  of  which  is  a  precipice ;  or  G  od  is 
preparing  to  deal  far  more  bountifully  with  us  than  we 
should  have  done  with  ourselves.  The  issue  of  all  God^s 
dealings  with  His  people  must  be  bountiful  and  good ; 
happy  is  that  man  who  has  faith  enough  to  praise  while 
the  issue  is  being  worked  out.  We  may  rest  assured 
that  God  never  yet  dealt  with  any  of  His  people  with  a 
close  and  niggard  hand. 

Let  the  believing  reader  look,  however,  at  what  the 
Lord  has  done  for  his  soul,  and  there  indeed,  he  will 
find  evidences  of  bounteous  dealing.  Well  might  he 
think  of  '^the  riches  of  God's  grace,"  and  say,  "  Return 


PRAISE.  367 

unto  tliy  rest,  O  my  soiil_,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee."  Never  let  any  man  who  knows 
the  salvation  of  the  Lord  detract  from  His  character  as 
a  bounteous  dealer,  because  of  some  present  afflictive 
dispensations,  or  because  he  is  permitted  to  be  exercised 
in  any  spiritual  trials  ;  let  him  look  at  the  rich  dealings 
of  God  with  his  soul ;  let  him  see  hell  escaped,  heaven 
prepared,  giory  purchased,  an  abundant  entrance  opened 
to  everlasting  life ;  then  let  him  see  at  what  a  price  all 
this  has  been  procured,  and  let  him  look  at  what  he 
himself  is,  even  at  the  best;  and  let  the  story  of  God^s 
bounteous  dealing  ever  be  in  his  mouth.  Oh,  that 
the  Lord^s  people  could  ever  dwell  in  full  realization  of 
how  bountifully  they  have  been  dealt  with,  then,  instead 
of  fretting  over  every  little  thing,  their  mouth  would  be 
filled  with  God^s  praise  and  honour  all  the  day  long. 
If  you,  dear  reader,  know  the  Lord,  stir  up  your  heart 
to  rejoicing  because  of  this  bounteous  dealing;  do  not  let 
your  dull  laggard  heart  alone;  say,  "^Come,  v/ake  if^, 
bethink  thee  of  thy  mercies,  ^  make  a  joyful  noise  unto 
the  Lord,^  the  Lord  must  be  praised,  and  thou  must 
praise  Him."  Perhaps  the  heart  is  heavy  and  sleepy, 
but  we  must  wake  it  up  out  of  sleep ;  we  must  blow  up 
the  slumbering  embers  upon  the  altar,  and  wave  the 
incense  censers,  until  the  perfumed  smoke  cm'ls  upward 
to  the  skies ;  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving 
must  be  ofiered,  and  bounteous  dealing  must  be  the 
story  of  its  accompanying  song.  O  my  soul,  "  give  unto 
the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  His  name."  "  Bless  the 
Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  ail  His  benefits." 
''  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me, 
bless  His  holv  name." 


368  PRAISE. 

Giving  of  Help  is  another  of  the  mercies  which  stirs 
the  Psalmist's  praise.  ''The  Lord  is  my  strength  and 
my  shield^  my  heart  trusted  in  Him_,  and  I  am  helped^ 
therefore  my  heart  greatly  rejoiceth^  and  with  my  song 
will  I  praise  Him." 

The  reception  of  help  issued  in  joy  of  heart;  and 
joy  of  heart  issued  in  praise.  Now  we  also_,  like  the 
Psalmistj  have  received  help ;  as  with  him  so  also  with 
us,  we  have  had  joy  of  heart  when  we  were  helped;  but 
has  our  joy  like  his,  issued  in  praise?  There  is  scarce 
any  one  who  does  not  know  what  it  is  to  have  felt  an 
exhilaration  of  spirits,  when  some  threatened  calamity 
is  passed;  or  when  something  has  been  endured  which 
had  been  greatly  feared;  when  a  door  of  help  has 
been  opened;  when  the  weight  which  pressed  has  been 
removed.  As  soon  as  all  had  come  right,  and  the  night- 
mare which  bestrode  our  heart  had  taken  its  departm^e, 
we  could  sing  for  joy;  everything  seemed  delightful;  we 
felt  in  good  humour  with  every  one ;  we  had  a  gentle 
intoxication  and  effervescence  of  spirit ;  in  that  efferves- 
cence we  seemed  to  get  rid  of  a  great  deal  of  acid,  which, 
perhaps,  for  some  time,  had  made  us  rather  sharp  and 
tart.  Now,  we  must  not  go  out  of  our  way  to  look  for 
great  events ;  those  of  which  we  are  now  speaking  are  to 
be  found  strewn  tolerably  thickly  all  over  the  face  of 
our  daily  life.  Men  of  business  have  received  payment 
of  bills,  which  were  very  shaky  concerns,  and  yet  upon 
which  their  own  credit  had  involuntarily  been  staked; 
they  have  found  those  who  could  help  them  in  a  pinch, 
ready  to  do  so,  when  they  went  to  them  with  fear  and 
trembling,  not  knowing  but  that  they  would  decline  to 
give  the  needed  aid;  women  have  been  delivered  from 


PRAISE.  369 

the  pain  and  peril  of  cliildbirtli ;  "^  cliildi'en  have  been 
brought  through  illnesses  and  so  forth ;  and  has  the  joy 
of  heart,  and  the  sense  of  relief,  obtained  on  these 
various  occasion  s_,  and  such  as  these,  led  the  heart  to 
praise?  If  God  be  not  traced  in  everything,  of  course 
it  has  not ;  but  if  He  be,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  we 
allow  our  joy  to  evaporate  in  mere  exhilaration  of  heart? 
There  are  many  who  are  no  better  than  the  Amalekites, 
of  whom  we  read  in  1  Samuel  xxx,  who  ^^were  spread 
abroad  upon  all  the  earth,  eating,  and  drinking,  and 
dancing;"  the  joy  of  the  world  is  carnal;  it  never  issues 
in  the  praise  of  God. 

May  the  people  of  God,  who  read  these  pages,  be  on 
their  guard  against  omitting  praise  when  they  are  helped; 
they  cannot  fall  into  this  error  without  greatly  displeasing 
Him.  Ingratitude  is  odious  in  God^s  sight ;  and  this  is 
ingratitude  of  no  trifling  degree.     Let  our  joy  take  the 

*  We  cannot  pass  this  subject  by,  without  expressing  deep 
regret  at  the  mere  ceremony  which  "  The  Thanksgiving  of  Women 
after  Child-birth,  commonly  called,  the  Churching  of  Women," 
too  often  becomes.  Some  cannot  go  out  to  a  ball,  or  to  the 
theatre,  &c.,  until  they  have  been  churched!  and  we  have  often 
been  pained  by  the  evident  want  of  feeling  displayed.  The  words 
in  the  Psalm  read  upon  the  occasion,  are  supposed  to  be  those 
(certainlj^'not  of  the  officiating  minister,  but)  of  the  woman  who 
has  recently  received  the  mercy,  but  they  often  end  in  mere 
sound,  and  nothing  else.  "  What  reward  shall  I  give  unto  the 
Lord,  for  all  the  benefits  that  He  hath  done  unto  me  ?  I  will 
receive  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
Alas !  this  so  called  thanksgiving  is  too  often  nothing  but  solemn 
mockery;  the  clerk  says,  "Amen,"  and  perhaps  the  woman  says, 
"Amen,"  and  there  the  matter  ends;  in  what  way  such  persons 
"  take  the  cup  of  salvation,"  as  we  cannot  perceive  ourselves,  so 
we  must  leave  them  to  determine  with  God. 


370  PRAISE. 

distinct  form  of  praise;  praise  to  God — acknowledgment 
that  it  is  from  Him  we  have  received  the  blessing,  and 
that  to  Him  the  praise  is  due.  A  favour  is  doubly  sweet 
when  it  comes  from  one  we  love ;  if  we  feel  God  to  be 
our  Father,  and  if  we  love  Him  as  such,  will  it  not  be 
doubly  sweet  to  us  to  receive  the  blessing  from  Him? 
^^ General  praise'^  will  never  do;  we  must  offer  "^ specific 
praise/^  for  specific  blessings ;  an  act  of  praise  for  each 
act  of  mercy,  each  help,  each  blessing  as  it  comes. 
When  we  have  been  helped,  or  received  a  blessing,  it  is 
well  to  stand  up  before  God  in  the  privacy  of  our  own 
room,  and  look  up  into  the  sky,  and  try,  as  it  were,  to 
pierce  to  His  very  Throne,  and  offer  up  a  special  thanks- 
giving, naming  that  very  blessing  just  received,  by  its 
common  name ;  for  example,  (to  refer  to  a  matter  already 
touched  upon)  if  money  be  needed,  it  is  well  to  pray  for 
it  with  our  hands  open,  and  in  the  attitude  of  a  person 
putting  out  the  hand  to  receive;  that  is  very  helpful, 
especially  if  we  look  at  our  hands  as  then  empty ;  then 
when  the  Lord  sends  what  vv^e  need,  either  for  His  cause 
or  for  ourselves,  it  is  well  to  take  it,  and  to  put  it  into 
the  palm  of  om'  hands,  and  kneel  down  or  stand  up  be- 
fore the  Lord;  and  after  stirring  up  our  minds  by  looking 
at  it  there,  and  thinking  how  it  came  there,  to  praise 
Him,  and  say,  ^'  I  thank  Thee,  Lord,  that  Thou  hast  sent 
this  into  my  hand."  There  is  something  very  distinct 
and  well-defined  in  such  an  act  as  this ;  and  there  is  a 
reality  which  we  believe  to  be  acceptable  to  God.  When 
a  preacher  has  sought  for  help  in  his  day's  ministry,  or  in 
preaching  a  sermon,  it  is  well,  when  he  comes  home,  to 
go  into  his  study,  and  then  and  there  thank  God  for  that 
help ;  and  far  indeed  was  that  good  woman  from  being  a 


PRAISE.  371 

weak  minded  or  silly  person,  wlio_,  when  slie  had  dressed 
and  laid  upon  the  table  a  dinner  for  a  large  party,  sur- 
veyed it  all,  and  as  she  did  so,  thanked  God,  who  had 
enabled  her  to  do  her  cooking  well. 

The  loving -kindness  of  the  Lord  was  another  subject  of 
the  Psalmist's  praise.  He  says,  "  I  will  praise  Thy  name 
for  Thy  loving-kindness,  and  for  Thy  truth.'-'  (Psalm 
cxxxviii,  2.)  There  are  two  beautiful  thoughts  brought 
out  here;  one  is,  ^^ God's  condescension  in  thought;'' 
the  other,  "  His  tenderness  in  action."  These  are  both 
included  in  "loving-kindness."  And  both  of  these  are 
shewn  by  God  to  His  own  people.  He  humbleth  Him- 
self to  behold  the  things  of  the  children  of  men;  He 
condescends  to  men  of  low  estate;  of  the  blessed  Jesus 
it  is  said,  that  "  though  He  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes 
He  became  poor,  that  ye  through  His  poverty  might  be 
rich."  (2  Cor.  viii,  9.)  Who  can  tell  the  depths  to 
which  God  condescends  in  loving  thought?  We  are 
told  that  the  very  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  numbered ; 
and  if  the  hairs  of  our  head,  then  surely  all  else  beside. 
God,  as  the  Heavenly  Father,  takes  an  interest  in  every 
thing  about  His  people;  He  takes  this  interest  in 
matters  which  they  think  beneath  His  notice,  or  of 
which  they,  from  their  ignorance,  do  not  know  the 
importance.  The  mother  may  drav/  whole  stores  of 
comfort  from  a  realization  of  the  condescending  thought- 
fulness  of  God.  He  will  be  interested  about  her  babe; 
if  she  commit  it  to  Him,  He  who  made  the  universe 
Avill,  with  His  infinite  mind,  think  upon  her  cradle  and 
the  helpless  creature  that  is  rocked  to  sleep  therein. 
The  sick  man  may  draw  whole  stores  of  comfort  from 
the  same  som'ce,  for  he  can  believe  that  the  One  by 


372  PRAISE. 

whom  the  body  was  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made,  will 
think  over  the  sufferings  of  that  body,  and  alleviate  them, 
or  give  strength  for  the  endurance  of  them  if  they 
must  be  borne — condescension  of  thought  marks  all  the 
dealings  of  God  with  his  people. 

And  hard  following  upon  it  comes  tenderness  in  action. 
Now  this  '^  tenderness  in  action  ^^  is  a  great  part  of  the 
loving -kindness  of  God;  it  is  meet  that  a  thoughtful 
mind  and  tender  hand  should  go  together  in  the  perfec- 
tion of  love.  God  is  not  only  energetic,  but  tender  also 
in  action ;  He  is  the  God  of  the  dew-drops,  as  well  as 
the  God  of  the  thunder  showers ;  the  God  of  the  tender 
grass  bladC;  as  much  as  of  the  mountain  oak.  We  read 
of  great  machines,  which  are  able  to  crush  iron  bars, 
and  yet  they  can  touch  so  gently  as  not  to  break  the 
shell  of  the  smallest  o^^^-,  as  it  is  with  them,  so  is  it 
with  the  hand  of  the  Most  High;  He  can  crush  a 
world,  and  yet  bind  up  a  wound.  And  great  need  have 
we  of  tenderness  in  our  low  estate ;  a  little  thing  would 
crush  us :  we  have  such  bruised  and  feeble  souls,  that 
unless  we  had  One  who  would  deal  tenderly  with  us,  we 
must  soon  be  destroyed.  There  are  many  soul  diseases, 
to  which  a  tender  hand  alone  can  minister;  just  as  there 
are  many  states  of  body  which  need  tender  and  patient 
nursing,  and  which  cannot  otherwise  be  successfully 
dealt  with,  even  by  any  amount  of  skill.  This  tender- 
ness we  see  continually  in  action  in  woman^s  ministrations 
in  ordinary  life.  Her  voice  has  notes  more  sweet  and 
soft  than  can  be  distilled  from  any  instrument  of  music ; 
her  hand  has  a  touch  more  delicate  and  fine  than  even  the 
breath  of  any  summer's  breeze;  it  is  to  her  man  carries 
the  stories  of  his  sorrows  :  it  is  she  that  has  to  pillow  his 


PRAISE.  373 

aching,  heavy  head ;  well  as  he  thinks  he  can  do  without 
her,  in  the  more  exciting  scenes  of  life,  he  finds  that  h^ 
is  not  independent  when  the  time  comes  for  suffering 
and  grief.  And  what  makes  woman  equal  to  sustaining 
the  heavy  burden  thus  cast  upon  her  ?  How  comes  the 
ivy  to  be  able  to  sustain  the  oak,  around  which  it  used 
to  cling,  ornamenting  it,  while  it  owned  its  lordship  and 
strength  ?  She  does  all  in  the  power  of  the  tenderness 
of  her  nature ;  rugged  and  uncouth  would  life  indeed  be 
if  such  tenderness  were  withdrawn.  But  pass  away  to 
di\ine  things — from  woman,  to  Him  that  was  born  of 
woman — and  what  do  we  find,  but  tenderness  of  action 
in  Him  ?  That  tenderness,  which  in  any  of  mankind  is 
but  as  a  spark  from  the  fire,  is  perfect  in  His  bosom ; 
its  fulness  is  there ;  and  it  is  continually  being  shewn  to 
them.  The  good  Samaritan  not  only  binds  up  the 
wound,  and  pours  in  oil  and  wine,  but  sets  the  wounded 
man  upon  his  own  beast,  and  says  "take  care  of  him.'' 
We  have  often  felt  this  tenderness  of  action  on  God's 
part;  we  have  been  gently  restored  when  we  went 
astray ;  we  never  received  a  heavy  chastisement  when  a 
light  one  would  do ;  we  never  had  a  chastisement  pro- 
longed one  moment  beyond  the  needed  time.  Has  not 
Christ  given  us  a  balm  in  many  times  of  sorrow  ?  Has 
He  not  spoken  to  us  with  a  gentle  voice,  when  one  of 
thunder  would  not  have  been  too  loud  for  our  deserts ; 
and  have  we  not  here  good  cause  for  praise  ?  Expect 
loving-kindnesses  from  the  Lord,  enjoy  them,  but  oh !  do 
not  allow  them  to  pass  by  unnoticed,  because  of  their 
delicacy;  their  very  tenderness,  their  very  delicacy  is 
their  beauty.     O,  my  soul,  be  all   grossness  of  vision 

K    K 


374  PRAISE. 

removed,   and  thine  be  the  Psalmist's  words,    ''  I  will 
praise  Thy  name  for  Thy  loving-kindness/^ 

We  would  not  altogether  pass  over  the  Truth  of  God 
as  a  subject  of  praise,  although  to  go  deep  into  it  would 
be  altogether  beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  volume. 
We  would  only  draw  the  reader's  attention  to  ^^the 
coming  out  of  God's  intrinsic  character/'  as  brought 
before  us  here.  He  is  a  truthful  God;  He  has  been, 
from  time  immemorial,  tried  and  proved  by  His  people 
as  such;  and  that  truth  should  be  one  subject  of  their 
praise.  But  let  us  remember  God's  intrinsic  character ; 
let  us  praise  Him  for  honouring  and  answering  the 
dependence  which  we  have  placed  upon  His  word ;  let  us 
not  lose  sight  of  His  character,  in  the  gracious  acts  which 
have  proceeded  from  it.  We  rested  upon  God's  truth; 
truth  has  not  disappointed  us,  and  for  it  we  should 
praise.  The  redeemed  in  glory  praise  God  for  His 
truth ;  they  have  attained  the  land  of  blessedness, 
simply  because  they  reposed  upon  that  truth ;  a  shadow 
of  variableness  in  God  might  have  ruined  them  all ;  but 
with  Him  there  is  no  variableness  nor  shadow  of  turning, 
and  they  are  saved.  What  have  we  to  depend  upon,  but 
simply  the  truth  of  God?  We  have  nothing  to  lean 
upon,  but  His  simple  word.  "  He  that  believeth  shall 
be  saved,"  is  our  only  secui-ity  for  eternal  life,  but  that 
is  enough.  "  God  is  not  a  man  that  He  should  lie,  nor 
the  son  of  man  that  He  should  repent ;"  and  it  is  the 
truth  of  God  that  is  to  carry  the  believer  safe  to  heaven . 
As  we  rest,  then,  upon  this  truth ;  as  we  feel  it  equal  to 
all  our  need ;  as  we  see  the  gigantic  interests  at  stake — 
and  yet  not  at  stake  — for  they  are  safe ;  well  may  the 


PRAISE.  375 

Psalmist's  words  be  ours,  "  I  will  praise  Thy  name  for 
Thy  loving-kindness  and  Thy  truth." 

Escape  from  the  tinumphing  of  the  ungodly,  stirred 
also  the  spirit  of  praise.  ^'  I  will  extol  Thee,  O  God,  for 
Thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  hast  not  made  my  foes  to 
triumph  over  me."     Psalm  xxx,  1 . 

If  ever  there  was  a  man  who  had  reason  to  thank  God 
in  this  respect  it  was  David.  He  was  hunted  like  a 
partridge  upon  the  mountains ;  those  of  his  own  household 
lifted  up  the  heel  against  him;  and  there  were  some 
seasons  when  it  seemed  almost  impossible  that  he  could 
escape  even  with  his  life.  David  was  in  this  a  type  of 
Christ;  the  enemy  was  continually  upon  the  watch  for  him ; 
fraud  and  violence  combined  to  take  away  His  life  ;  but 
the  enemies  of  Jesus  had  no  triumph  over  Him ;  they 
never  attacked  Him  without  a  defeat,  and  when  at  last 
He  died,  He  laid  down  His  life.  An  apparent  triumph 
was  gained  over  David  when  he  fled  from  his  palace, 
a  fugitive  from  the  violence  of  his  own  child;  and  an 
apparent  triumph  was  gained  over  the  Saviour,  when  He 
hung  upon  the  cross,  but  David  was  restored,  and  Jesus 
was  raised  from  the  dead,  and  the  triumphing  of  the 
wicked  was  but  short.  The  truth  is,  Satan  defeats  him- 
self;  his  energies  are  not  destroyed  by  God,  but  they  are 
neutralized  ;  God  does  not  always  prevent  his  working, 
but  He  does  make  his  efforts  turn  against  himself  and  on 
behalf  of  those  of  whom  it  is  said,  "All  things  shall 
work  together  for  good."     Romans  viii,  28. 

Satan  no  doubt  often  strikes  the  people  of  God,  but 
the  arrow  that  he  shoots  recoils  upon  himself,  and 
inflicts  upon  him  and  his  cause,  the  injury  he  thought  to 
inflict  on  them.     The  persecution  of  the  early  Christians 


376  PRAISE. 

scattered  them  tlirougliotit  tlie  worId_,  and  spread  the 
gospel  throughout  the  nations;  and  now  the  \erj  talk 
which  there  often  is  against  the  truth,  but  serves  to  make 
some  enquire,  and  to  spread  its  influence  more  and  more. 
It  is  true  the  enemy  may  rejoice  for  a  season — the  beast 
that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  may  make  war 
against  the  witnesses,  and  overcome  them,  and  kill  them  ; 
the  peoples,  and  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  tongues,  may 
rejoice  over  them,  [and  make  merry,  for  three  days  and 
a  half;  but  their  triumphing  is  only  short,  for  '^  after  three 
days  and  a  half,  the  spirit  of  life  from  God  enters  into 
them,  and  they  stand  upon  their  feet,  and  great  fear  falls 
upon  them  which  see  them.^'  We  must  distinguish 
between  temporary  and  final  triumph.  The  first  is 
allowed  to  the  enemy,  the  second  is  not ;  the  foe  is  per- 
mitted very  often  to  rejoice  for  a  while,  but  the  final 
triumph  is  never  left  with  him.  Let  us  remember  this 
in  our  own  conflicts  with  the  Evil  One,  in  many  of  which 
we  seem  to  be  worsted :  on  such  occasions  we  lose  all 
heart ;  we  believe  that  there  is  truth  in  all  that  boasting 
with  which  he  presses  us  so  hard ;  we  think  that  he  will 
follow  up  his  victory,  until  we  be  utterly  destroyed ;  but 
all  this  is  only  for  a  season ;  let  us  cast  ourselves  on  God, 
let  us  say,  "  Consider  and  hear  me,  O  Lord  my  God ; 
lighten  mine  eyes,  lest  I  sleep  the  sleep  of  death ;  lest 
mine  enemy  say,  I  have  prevailed  against  him,  and  those 
that  trouble  me  rejoice  when  I  am  moved  -/^  and  we  shall 
have  cause  with  the  Psalmist  to  say,  "  I  will  extol  Thee, 
O  God,  for  Thou  hast  lifted  me  up,  and  hast  not  made 
my  foes  to  rejoice  over  me."  "With  the  exception  of  the 
blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  there  never  lived  one 
over  whom  the  Devil  had  not  temporary  triumphs ;  that 


PRAISE.  377 

they  were  only  temporary  is  due  to  preserving  grace. 
Let  us  consider  the  histories  of  olden  time,  and  we  shall 
see  that  they  all  witness  this.  The  triumph  over  Joseph, 
over  David,  over  Daniel,  over  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and 
Abednego,  over  Mordecai,  and  all  such,  was  but  short ; 
it  was  a  triumph,  but  only  for  a  while ;  so  is  it  with  us, 
it  shall  not  last.  And  let  this  encourage  any  of  us  who 
are  greatly  depressed  under  some  present  defeat,  which 
involves  a  corresponding  triumphing  of  the  Evil  One.  He 
now  meditates  further  proceedings  against  us ;  his  design 
is  to  press  us ;  to  go  on  from  one  victory  to  another  over 
us,  but  God  can  lift  us  up.  We  have  cast  ourselves 
down,  but  He  can  lift  us  up.  He  (if  we  cast  ourselves 
upon  Him)  will  make  the  case  His  own,  He  will  enter 
into  conflict  with  our  foe ;  He  will  lift  us  up  so  that  we 
also  shall  be  as  it  were  set  upon  our  legs  again  to  flght, 
and  we  shall  win  back  the  ground,  the  loss  of  which  gave 
the  enemy  occasion  to  blaspheme.  The  Psalmist  declared 
that  God  prepared  a  table  for  him  in  the  presence  of  his 
enemies ;  and  what  He  did  for  him.  He  will  do  for  us ; 
only  let  us  not  forget  to  praise;  the  Psalmist  said, 
"  Thou  hast  lifted  me  up.  Thou  hast  not  made  my  foes 
to  rejoice ;"  we  must  say  the  same — we  must  extol  God, 
attributing  the  victory  to  Him,  for  by  Him  it  has  been 
won.  Not  to  recognise  Him  in  action,  not  distinctly  to 
give  the  praise  to  Him,  will  be  to  put  the  enemy  in  the 
way  of  rejoicing  over  us  by  a  further  fall. 

There  remains  one  point  more  which  we  would  es- 
pecially notice,  and  i.e.,  praise  for  hearing  prayer.  "I 
will  praise  Thee,  for  Thou  hast  heard  me.'^  (Psalm 
cxviii,  21.)  In  this  point,  almost  above  all  others,  God 
is  frequently    robbed  of  His  praise.     Men  pray;  they 

K   K   2 


378  PRAISE. 

receive  an  answer  to  their  prayers ;  and  then  forget  to 
praise.  This  happens  especially  in  small  things;  we 
should  ever  remember  that  whatever  is  worth  praying 
for,  is  worth  praising  for  also.  The  fact  is,  we  do  not 
recognise  God  in  these  small  things  as  much  as  we 
should;  if  we  do  praise,  it  is  for  the  receipt  of  the 
blessing,  with  which  we  are  pleased,  leaving  ont  of 
account  the  One  from  whom  the  blessing  has  come. 
This  is  not  acceptable  to  God;  we  must  see  Him  in  the 
blessing,  if  we  wonld  really  praise.  The  Psalmist  says, 
"I  will  praise  Thee,  for  Thon  hast  heard  me;^'  he 
praised  not  only  because  he  had  received,  but  also 
because  he  had  been  heard — because  the  living  God,  as  a 
hearing  God,  was  manifested  in  His  mercies.  And 
when  we  know  that  God  has  heard  us,  let  us  not  delay 
our  praise ;  if  we  put  off  our  thanksgiving  until  perhaps 
only  the  evening,  we  may  forget  to  praise  at  all ;  and  if 
we  do  praise,  it  will  in  all  probability  be  with  only  half 
the  warmth  which  would  have  animated  our  song  at  first. 
God  loves  a  quick  return  for  His  blessings  ;  one  sentence 
of  heartfelt  thanksgiving  is  worth  all  the  formalism  of  a 
more  laboured  service.  There  is  a  freshness  about  im- 
mediate praise  which  is  like  the  fragrance  of  the  early 
morning,  which  is  like  the  bloom  upon  the  fruit;  its 
being  spontaneous  adds  ineffably  to  its  price. 

Trace,  then,  dear  reader,  a  connection  between  your 
God  and  your  blessing.  Recognise  His  hearing  ear  as 
well  as  His  bounteous  hand,  and  be  your^s  the  Psalmisf  s 
words,  ''  I  will  praise  Thee,  for  Thou  hast  heard  me.'' 


379 


CHAPTEK  XX. 
THE  DIFFERENT  ATTEIBXJTES  OF  PRAISE. 

Psalm  ix,  1,  2.  "J  will  praise  Thee,  O  Lord,  with  my  ivhok 
heartr     "  I  will  he  glad  and  rejoice  in  Thee^^ 

Psalm  xxxiv,  1.  '•'■I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times,  His  praise 
shall  continually  he  in  my  mouth" 

Psalm  Ixxi,  14.  ^^  But  I  will  hope  continually,  and  will  yet 
praise  Thee  more  ajid  more^ 

Psalm  cxix,  7.  "  I  will  praise  Thee  with  uprightness  of  heart, 
when  I  shall  have  learned  Thy  righteous  judgments." 

Psalm  cxliv,  9.     ^^  L  will  sing  a  new  song  unto  Thee,  O  God." 

Psalm  cviii,  1.  "0  God,  my  heart  isjixed,  L  will  sing  and  give 
praise,  even  ivith  my  glory." 

IT  will  be  weU  to  consider  for  a  short  time  some  of 
the  attributes  of  real  praise^  so  that  we  may  not 
only  praise^  but  praise  aright.  If  we  be  rightly  instructed,, 
we  shall  aim  not  merely  at  the  possession  of  any  Clmstian 
grace,  but  at  perfection  in  it. 

The  subject  then  upon  which  we  are  now  to  dwell  is^ 
The  Attributes  of  Praise. 

And  first  let  us  mention  Heartiness  in  praise.  There 
is  something  pre-eminently  miserable  in  faint  unliving 
praise.  Amongst  men  a  half-hearted  praise  is  considered 
almost  akin  to  blame,  and  we  may  rest  assured  that  no 
great  price  can  be  put  upon  such  praise  in  heaven. 

Lip-service — the  mere  duty  of  praise,  is  of  little  worth ; 
praise  is  of  that  nature  that  unless  it  be  accompanied  by 


380  THE   ATTRIBUTES   OF   PRAISE. 

feeling  it  must  be  dead  and  flat^  and  cease  almost  to  be 
ftself ;  the  feeling  may  not  always  be  the  same,  it  may  be 
gratitude,  or  admiration,  but  still  it  is  feeling,  and  as 
such  gives  life  to  praise. 

Let  us  bring  this  matter  home  to  ourselves,  and  we 
shall  understand  it  better  by  our  own  feelings  than  by 
any  arguments  or  words.  Let  us  suppose  that  our 
children  felt  it  a  duty  to  come  and  praise  us  every 
morning,  that  they  came  near  either  singly  or  collectively, 
and  with  drooping  eye,  and  unimpassioned  face,  and  hands 
hanging  listlessly  by  their  sides,  they  began  to  recite  or 
sing  in  a  monotonous  tone  their  obligations  to  us  for 
letting  them  sleep  beneath  our  roof  and  eat  our  food  ;  or 
suppose  we  had  just  given  one  of  these  children  some- 
thing it  had  long  desired,  or  saved  it  from  some  accident, 
and  that  it  came  before  us,  and  in  the  same  dull  attitude 
began  to  repeat  some  particular  form  which  it  had 
evidently  got  by  heart,  should  not  we  feel  utterly  disgusted 
at  such  a  would-be  exhibition  of  gratitude  as  this? 
And  yet  this  is  the  kind  of  praise  which  we  too  often 
offer  to  God.  Such  is  not  the  praise  of  which  the 
Psalmist  speaks  here,  when  he  says,  "  I  will  praise  Thee, 
O  Lord,  with  my  whole  heart  ;^'  he  had  meaning,  he  had 
feeling  in  his  song;  and  better  would  it  be  for  us  to 
hum  a  psalm  tune  with  a  feeling  of  springing  of  heart 
to  the  Lord,  than  to  offer  up  a  Te  Deum  or  Jubilate 
under  a  cathedral's  roof,  unless  om*  souls  pass  upward 
with  it  to  the  throne  of  God. 

Impressed  then  with  a  belief  of  the  nothingness  of  this 
mere  ''  duty  praise,''  let  us  seek  distinctly  to  have  our 
hearts  stirred  up  to  thankfulness,  and  to  heartiness  in 
praise.  We  may  do  much  for  ourselves  in  this  matter 
by  the   help  of  the   Spirit,  for   a   good    deal    of  our 


THE  ATTRIBUTES  OF  PRAISE.  381 

formalism  in  praise  comes  from  not  thinkings  from  our 
not  entering  individually  into  it.  Let  us  think  and 
reason  witli  ourselves  somewhat  in  this  way — 

"Why  should  /  receive  this  mercy  which  God  has 
now  bestowed  ?  Are  there  not  hundreds  of  others  whose 
need  is  as  great  as  mine^  and  they  have  not  received  as 
much  ?  My  pain  has  ceased  while  theirs  continues  day 
after  day ;  my  comforts  are  many  whilst  theirs  are  but 
few ;  I  have  not  deserved  this  relief  in  any  way ;  I  have 
received  it  as  a  gift ;  then  stir  thyself,  my  heart_,  to  praise. 

Moreover^  let  us  think^  what  might  have  been  our 
state  if  we  had  not  received  such  and  such  a  blessing. 
Had  not  God  mercifully  arrested  a  cough  it  might  have 
turned  to  consumption;  had  He  not  sent  us  such  and 
such  pecuniary  help  at  such  a  time^  we  might  have  been 
beggared  and  bankrupt  before  now;  had  we  not  been 
sent  to  such  a  place^  or  been  kept  back  from  going  to  some 
other  place,  might  we  not  have  met  with  ruin  or  death  ? 

Thoughts  such  as  these  would  have  another  good 
effect_,  viz._,  that  of  keeping  us  in  a  thankful  spirit,  and 
from  a  grumbling  and  repining  one,  when  things  do  not 
fall  out  exactly  as  we  should  wish.  How  do  we  know  , 
what  great  mercies  are  hidden  in  these  apparent  crosses  ? 
If  I  am  hindered  from  going  to  a  place,  how  do  I  know 
but  that  if  I  had  taken  the  journey,  I  might  have  slipped 
getting  in  or  out  of  the  train,  and  have  broken  my  leg, 
if  not  my  head  ?  how  do  I  know  but  that  if  I  had  gone 
at  that  particular  time  to  that  particular  place,  I  might 
have  trodden  perhaps  upon  an  orange  peel  in  the  street, 
and  have  had  a  fall  which  might  have  confined  me  to  my 
bed  for  weeks  ?  If  I  see  nothing  good  coming  out  of 
what  happens,  I  believe  in  the  warding  off  of  something 
bad ;  and  let  a  circumstance  appear  never  so  provoking. 


382  THE    ATTRIBUTES    OF    PRAISE. 

we  may  still  find  plenty  of  cause  for  cheerful  praise,  for, 
if  we  be  God's  children,  it  must  be  working  together  with 
other  things  for  our  good.  But  in  order  that  such 
thoughts  as  these  may  induce  us  to  praise  heartily,  they 
must  be  something  more  than  mere  speculations ;  we  may 
speculate  as  much  as  we  please  as  to  the  particular  good 
to  be  had  or  the  evil  to  be  averted,  but  we  must  have  a 
deep  belief  that  good  is  given  and  evil  is  averted ;  the 
depth  of  our  belief  will  give  heartiness  to  our  praise.  An 
unthinking  spmt  is  always  an  unthankful  one.  But  the 
grand  influence  is  that  of  the  Holy  Spirit :  when  He 
stirs  within  our  hearts,  warming  and  vivifying  us,  we  feel 
rise  within  us  the  spirit  of  praise.  Just  as  the  birds 
which  have  been  silent  dm'ing  the  winter,  sing  when  they 
feel  the  influence  of  the  spring,  and  as  they  break  forth 
when  the  morning  dawns  and  the  shadows  of  the  night 
have  hastened  away,  so  the  soul  which  coidd  neither  sing 
nor  praise  for  perhaps  many  a  long  hour  of  coldness  and 
darkness  is  stirred  on  the  incoming  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  Spirit  of  God  is  a  Spirit  of  praise ;  no  doubt  He  is  a 
convicting  Spirit,  and  One  who  can  make  thunders  roll 
and  lightnings  flash  throughout  the  heart,  but  He  is 
also  a  Spirit  of  genial  influences,  presiding  over  and 
evoking  the  harmonies  of  the  soul ;  yes,  even  more  than 
this,  creating  them,  as  the  Spirit  of  praise.  That  praise 
must  be  hearty  indeed,  which  has  its  origin  from  God,  it 
must  be  acceptable  as  it  returns  to  God  again ;  may  we 
have  it  more  and  more;  may  we  seek  it  more  and  more; 
we  must  have  God  Himself  to  help  us,  if  we  would 
praise  Him  aright. 

The  Psalmist  speaks  further  of  the  Continuance  of  his 
Praise,  "I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times;  (or  in 
every  season)    His  praise  shall   continually  be  in  my 


THE   ATTRIBUTES   OF   PRAISE.  383 

mouth."  "  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord  as  long  as  I  live, 
I  will  sing  praise  to  my  God  while  I  have  my  being." 
"I  will  extol  Thee,  O  God,  my  King,  and  I  will  bless 
Thy  name  for  ever  and  ever." 

There  are  some  who  can  praise  only  at  certain  seasons, 
i.  e.j  when  they  have  received  some  mercy;  it  is  true 
what  might  be  called  a  small  mercy  will  make  them 
praise,  but  they  must  always  have  a  finger  upon  their 
hearths  spring,  or  they  have  no  heart  for  praise.  Each 
fresh  mercy  winds  them  up  like  a  musical  box,  and  they 
play  their  tune,  and  have  done  with  it;  when  another 
mercy  comes,  they  will  be  set  off  again  for  one  tune,  but 
for  no  more ;  they  want  a  living  motive  power,  and  on 
that  account  there  are  such  long  gaps  in  their  sounds  of 
praise.  And  there  are  others,  whose  song  cannot  be 
called  forth,  except  for  some  very  great  mercy;  they 
must  be  startled  into  praise ;  they  must  almost  escape  from 
the  jaws  of  death  or  ruin,  before  they  can  see  how  much 
they  are  indebted  to  God.  The  intervals  between  the 
praises  of  such  persons  are  long  indeed ;  what  might  be 
called  their  minor  mercies  go  for  naught,  and  they  pro- 
voke God  to  teach  them  the  real  greatness  of  these 
"minor  mercies,"  by  the  removal  of  them.  Others 
there  are,  who  can  never  praise  when  an  affliction  is  upon 
them ;  any  sad  dispensation  is  enough  to  quench  their 
spirits,  to  break  their  harp  strings,  and  to  make  them 
hang  the  harps  themselves  upon  the  willows ;  they  can- 
not put  deep  meaning  into  those  words,  "  The  Lord  gave, 
and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
LordP  There  is  shortcoming,  however,  here,  which  the 
child  of  God  must  endeavour  to  avoid ;  when  we  are  in 
affliction,  God  is  unchanged  in  His  relationship  to  us, 
and  we  are  unchanged  in  cur  relationship  to  Him ;  and 


38^  THE    ATTRIBUTES    OF    PRAISE. 

praise  is  in  point  of  fact  as  mucli  His  due  in  the  time  of 
sorrow  as  of  joy.  No  doubt  it  is  hard  to  practice  this ; 
this  is  a  point  of  attainment  to  which  many  a  true  be- 
KeTcr  has  not  reached,,  but  grace  can  easily  raise  him  to 
praise  even  in  all  his  pains.  Thus  was  it  with  a  poor  old 
widow,  who  ejaculated  thankfully,  ^^How  favoured  I 
am  ! ''  under  circumstances  in  which  we,  perhaps,  should 
have  thought  ourselves  accursed. 

''  She  was  a  poor  widow  in  the  decline  of  life,  and  sup- 
ported herself  with  the  most  rigid  economy  by  knitting. 

^^I  saw  her  in  the  intense  cold  of  last  winter.  The 
house  was  one  upon  which  time  had  made  such  sad 
ravages,  that  one  room  only  could  now  be  inhabited : 
and  in  that  she  dared  not  have  a  fire  when  the  wind 
blew  hard,  because  the  chimney  had  become  unsafe. 

" '  How  favoured  I  am,'  she  said,  '  for  when  it  has 
been  the  coldest,  the  wind  didnH  blow  much ;  or  there 
was  so  much  snow  on  the  house  I  could  have  a  fire 
without  danger.  /  cannot  be  thankful  enough !  And 
then,'  she  continued,  ^  Joseph  has  been  at  home  nights 
almost  all  the  winter,  and  he  could  get  my  wood  and 
water,  when  there  was  so  much  snow  I  could  not  get  out.' 

''  ^But  do  you  not  feel  very  lonely  while  Joseph  is  away?' 

"'Oh,  no;  I  get  along  very  well  through  the  day;' 
her  Bible  lay  upon  the  table  by  which  she  was  sewing, 
•^aud  when  I  can  see  the  neighbours'  lights  in  the 
evening,  it  is  company  for  me.  I  have  thought  a  good 
deal  about  sick  people  this  winter;  and  then  I  think 
how  favoured  I  am,  that  I  can  go  to  bed  and  sleep  all 
night  in  health.' 

'^  I  saw  her  again  to-day.  Rheumatism  had  disabled 
one  foot,  and  she  sat  still  sewing,  with  the  swollen, 
painful  limb  raised  upon  a  cushion.     '  How  favoured  I 


THE    ATTRIBUTES   OP    PRAISE.  385 

am  ! '  she  still  exclaimed :  ^  when  my  poor  Lydia  was 
alive,  I  lost  the  use  of  both  my  feet  for  a  time,  and  she 
took  care  of  me ;  but  now  I  can  get  about  by  moving 
my  foot  upon  a  chair,  and  I  make  out  to  do  my  work 
and  get  Joseph's  meals  ready  nicely.  I  canH  help 
thinking,  What  if  it  had  been  my  hands?  How 
favoured  I  am  ! '" 

Amid  all  the  vjirying  experiences  of  life,  there  ought 
to  be  no  break  in  the  continuity  of  our  praise;  the 
verse  of  the  well  known  hymn  should  be  indeed  our 
rule: 

"  Through  all  the  changing  scenes  of  life, 

In  trouble  and  in  joy, 
The  praises  of  my  God  shall  still 

My  heart  and  tongue  employ." 

If  we  cannot  ever  praise  when  affliction  is  upon  us,  it 
is  as  much  as  to  say,  "now  that  I  have  not  the  good 
things  of  God,  I  have  not  God  Himself;  I  only  knew 
Him  in  His  good  things,  and  now  that  they  are  away, 
I  cannot  recognise  Him  any  more.'^  He  who  would 
continue  in  praise,  must  see  God  in  Himself;  he  must 
see  that  though  things  change.  He  changeth  not ;  that, 
although  they  perish.  He  endures ;  though  they  wax  old 
as  a  garment,  He  is  the  same ;  God  is  to  be  praised,  not 
only  for  what  He  gives,  and  what  He  does,  but  also  for 
what  He  is;  and  never,  probably,  can  purer  or  more 
disinterested  and  genuine  praise  arise  on  this  account, 
than  in  the  time  of  our  sorrow  and  pain.  We  have 
seen  some  afflicted  ones  thus  praising,  and  that,  with  no 
small  measure  of  joy  in  hours  of  severe  distress;  the 
lips  were  often  compressed  with  excruciating  agony,  but 
they  opened  to  praise  the  Lord ;  a  sigh,  a  groan,  would 
come  forth  to  ease  poor  burdened  human  nature,  but 

L    L 


386  THE   ATTRIBUTES   OF    PRAISE. 

that  was  the  voice  of  the  suffering  flesh,,  and  not  of  the 
sanctified  spirit^  which  was  ever  ready  with  its  thanks- 
givings even  though  the  parched  and  quivering  lips  were 
scarce  equal  to  the  task."^  Oh !  how  are  many  of  us 
rebuked  by  such  sights  and  sounds  as  these ;  oh !  how 
shocking  does  our  ingratitude  appear^  when  we  recall  to 
mind  the  wasted  form,  the  sunken  eye,  the  parched  and 
burning  lip  of  the  poor  invalid,  unable  to  turn  in  bed, 
unable  to  sleep,  unable  to  eat,  unable  to  breathe  without 
pain,  and  yet  able  to  praise.  Surely  such  praise  must  be 
of  exceeding  price  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  must  be  like 
the  music  of  a  difficult  piece  played  with  a  master^s 
hand ;  it  must  be  counted  fit  for  the  ear  of  the  Monarch, 
fit  for  the  court  of  heaven;  and  so  it  is.  May  we  learn 
from  the  sorrows  of  others,  if  we  will  not  from  our  own 
joys,  and  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Let  u«  not  forget,  that  the  Psalmist  declared,  that  he 
would  praise  more  and  more.  "But  I  will  hope  con- 
tinually, and  will  yet  praise  Thee  more  and  more." 
Psalm  Ixxi,  14.  Heartiness  in  praise  is  good,  and  so  is 
continuance  therein,  but  we  should  not  be  content  with 
these,  we  should  aim  at  an  increase  of  'praise  also. 

Let  us  remember  that  an  unthankful  spirit  is  a  very 
growing  one ;  like  all  evil  weeds  it  grows  apace;  unthank- 
fulness  for  little  mercies  soon  spreads  to  unthankfulness 
for  greater  ones,  and  then  to  unthankfulness  for  the 
greatest  of  all.  We  ought  to  have  an  increasing  spirit 
of  praise  owing  to  the  law  of  life.  That  law,  as  we 
have  already  observed,  is  progression,  and  wherever  life 
is  strong,  praise  will  be  loud.     We  can  easily  account 

*  The  author  has  heard  continual  praises  from  a  tongue  half 
eaten  away  with  cancer — what  use,  beloved  reader,  are  you 
making  of  your  tongue  ? 


THE    ATTRIBUTES    OF    PRAISE.  387 

for  this.  The  child  as  he  progresses  in  life,  and  develops 
in  his  faculties,  increases  amongst  other  things  in  per- 
ceptive power ;  this  increase  awakens  admiration,  wonder, 
thought;  he  perceives  the  uses  of  things,  their  beauty, 
their  construction,  their  bearing  upon  himself,  and  so 
forth,  and  his  other  faculties  are  brought  into  play  by 
this  increase  of  perceptive  power.  The  child  of  God 
was  never  destined  to  stand  still;  he  was  given  life, 
with  the  intention  of  there  being  after  growth,  and  that 
in  praise  as  well  as  anything  else.  How  then,  it  might 
be  asked,  do  we  find  ourselves  getting  on  with  reference 
to  growth  in  praise  ?  Do  we  feel  our  perceptive  power 
increasing;  do  we  find  ourselves  able  to  trace  God's 
hand  more  and  more ;  can  we  see  the  bearing  of  certain 
dispensations  upon  our  good;  can  we  see  that  there 
is  blessing  wrapped  up  in  ordinary,  common  place 
experiences ;  can  we  perceive  more  and  more  how  much 
cause  we  have  for  praise  ?  If  we  be  thus  increasing  in 
perceptive  power,  surely  the  accumulation  of  our  mercies 
ought  to  affect  us ;  we  should  every  year  we  live  praise 
more  and  more !  The  more  we  praise  for  mercies  past, 
the  more  shall  we  have  cause  given  to  us  to  praise,  by 
mercies  yet  to  come.  God  will  honour  a  spirit  of  praise, 
even  as  He  honours  every  grace  which  His  Spirit  gives. 

All  that  now  remains  is  that  we  should  briefly  notice 

The  different  kinds  of  praise,  of  which  the  Psalmist 
speaks.  These  are  Singing  to  the  nams  of  the  Lord, 
Manifesting,  Blessing,  Extolling,  Thanksgiving,  Exaltingo 

Just  as  the  stem  which  is  full  of  sap  throws  out  many 
branches,  so  the  believer  who  is  full  of  a  spirit  of  praise 
will  give  vent  to  it  in  many  different  forms.  Let  us 
consider  some  of  these.     There  is 

Manifestation.     "  I  will  shew  forth  all  Thy  marvellous 


388  THE    ATTRIBUTES    OF    PRAISE. 

works/^  Psalm  ix^  1.  God  is  greatly  praised  wlien 
His  people  exercise  a  manifesting  spirit — when  they  speak 
of  the  good  things  which  He  has  done  for  them — when 
they  give  Him  the  glory  due  unto  His  name.  In  this, 
however,  they  are  often  deficient;  they  do  not  indeed 
try  to  take  credit  to  themselves,  but  they  do  not  give  the 
praise  to  God ;  they  are  silent,  and  by  their  silence  the 
Most  High  is  robbed  of  His  praise.  It  is  no  wonder 
that  the  people  of  the  world  know  so  little  about  the 
Lord,  when  He  is  so  little  brought  before  them  by  His 
own  people.  We  ought  not  to  be  continually  receiving 
good  things  from  God,  without  ever  speaking  of  them ; 
for  example,  if  a  child  has  been  gi'ievously  ill,  and  we 
are  congratulated  on  his  recovery,  and  we  know  and  feel 
that  we  owe  that  recovery  to  the  Lord  Himself,  we 
should  not  allow  our  friends  to  go  away  without  our 
distinctly  recognising  before  them,  and  to  them,  the 
gracious  working  of  God ;  without  "  shewing  forth  His 
marvellous  work.^^  How  often  do  we  allow  the  physician, 
and  the  medicine,  and  the  change  of  air,  and  all  such 
means  to  be  spoken  of,  and  we  are  silent  about  the  One 
from  whom  they  derive  their  efficacy ;  we  do  not  shew 
forth  God's  marvellous  works.  Who  can  tell  what  a 
blessed  effect  this  recognising  praise  would  have  upon 
many  of  our  relatives  and  friends  ?  When  they  heard  us 
continually  bringing  before  them  the  good  things  which 
God  has  done  for  us ;  when  they  heard  success  in  any 
enterprise,  escape  from  any  danger,  and  so  forth,  ever 
traced  to  the  one  Almighty  hand,  they  would  perhaps 
begin  to  think ;  and  by  our  reiterated  praise,  and  mani- 
festation, they  might  be  led  to  believe;  and  so,  our 
blessings  would  be  put  out  to  interest  for  God,  and 
doubtless  would  increase  and  multiply  to  ourselves. 


THE    ATTRIBUTES   OF   PRAISE.  389 

When  we  liave  received  any  special  good  thing  from 
the  Lord,  it  is  well,  according  as  we  have  opportunities, 
to  teU  others  of  it.  When  the  woman  who  had  lost  one 
of  her  ten  pieces  of  silver,  found  the  missing  portion  of 
her  money,  she  gathered  her  neighbours  and  her  friends 
together,  saying,  "  Rejoice  with  me  for  I  have  found  the 
piece  which  I  had  lost/^  We  may  do  the  same ;  we  may 
teU  friends  and  relations  that  we  have  received  such  and 
such  a  blessing,  and  that  we  trace  it  directly  to  the  hand 
of  God.  Why  have  we  not  already  done  this  ?  Is  there 
a  lurking  unbelief  as  to  whether  it  really  came  from 
God ;  or  are  we  ashamed  to  own  it  before  those  who  are 
perhaps  accustomed  to  laugh  at  such  things?  Who 
knows  so  much  of  the  marvellous  works  of  God  as  His 
own  people ;  if  they  be  silent,  how  can  we  expect  the 
world  to  see  what  He  has  done  ?  Let  us  not  be  ashamed 
to  glorify  God,  by  telling  what  we  know  and  feel  He  has 
done ;  let  us  watch  our  opportunity  to  bring  out  distinctly 
the  fact  of  His  acting ;  let  us  feel  delighted  at  having  an 
opportunity  from  our  own  experience,  of  telling  what 
must  turn  to  His  praise;  and  them  that  honour  God, 
God  will  honour  in  turn ;  if  we  be  willing  to  talk  of 
His  deeds.  He  will  give  us  enough  to  talk  about. 

'^  Extolling'^  is  another  form  which  the  believer's  praise 
will  take.  "  I  will  extol  Thee,  O  Lord,  for  Thou  hast 
lifted  me  up,"  &c.  Psalm  xxx,  1.  ''1  will  extol  Thee, 
my  God,  O  King."  Psalm  cxlv,  1.  To  extol  is  to  set 
pre-eminently  on  high;  to  exalt  above  all  others;  it  is 
the  expression  of  the  greatest  possible  admiration ;  it  is 
letting  others  know  our  high  opinion  of  a  person,  and 
endeavouring  to  win  them  over  to  it.  The  man  who  has 
such  a  high  opinion  of  another  as  to  induce  him  to  extol 

L   L  2 


390  THE   ATTRIBUTES   OF    PRAISE. 

}iim_,  will  not  be  likely  to  rest  without  bringing  fortb 
into  prominent  observation  tbe  object  of  his  praise., 

This  surely  suggests  an  enquiry  to  each  of  us ;  have 
we  this  extolling  spirit  ?  do  we  feel  an  earnest  desire  that 
God  should  be  magnified,,  yea,  rather  do  we  feel  an 
earnest  desire  to  magnify  Him  ourselves ;  not  only  that 
His  name  should  be  set  on  high,  but  that  it  should  be 
set  on  high  by  us.  That  God's  name  will  be  exalted  and 
extolled,  we  may  be  sure,  for  He  will  not  lose  His 
glory ;  but  this  may  be  done,  without  being  done  by  us. 
"  Extolling'^  is  something  more  than  the  faint  praise 
which  is  given  to  God,  even  by  many  of  His  own  dear 
people ;  it  is  pressing  upon  men  His  excellencies ;  it  is 
attracting  their  attention  by  unusual  praise.  Let  us  not 
be  afraid  of  doing  this ;  let  us  make  men  think j  by  what 
we  have  to  say  of  God ;  let  them  say,  "  there  is  a  reality 
in  all  this ;  these  men  must  have  had  some  experiences 
out  of  which  they  speak  and  sing.''  Our  earnestness, 
our  energy,  would  doubtless  impress  many  with  the 
reality  of  our  religion;  it  may  be  they  will  ask  about 
the  dealings  of  the  One  we  extol;  and  while  they  are 
investigating  His  claims  to  our  praise,  feel  constrained 
to  praise  themselves. 

This  "  extolling  the  Lord"  will  accomplish  one  of  the 
great  ends  of  praise,  viz.,  His  exaltation.  "Thou  art  my 
God,"  says  the  Psalmist,  Psalm  cxviii,  28,  "  and  I  will 
praise  Thee ;  Thou  art  my  God,  I  will  exalt  Thee."  It 
is  true  that  God  both  can  and  will  exalt  Himself,  but  it 
is  at  once  the  duty  and  the  privilege  of  His  people  to 
exalt  Him.  His  name  should  be  upborne  and  magnified 
by  them;  the  glory  of  that  name  is  now  as  it  were 
committed  to  them;  what  use  are  we  making  of  the 
opportunity  and  the  privilege  ? 


THE    ATTRIBUTES    OF    PRAISE.  391 

Hencefortlij  may  we  be  more  animated  with  the  spirit 
of  praise;  hencefortli  may  we  shew  the  world  more  of 
the  joy  of  the  believer's  life,  and  of  the  blessedness  of  the 
One  the  believer  serves ;  we  shall  impress  by  telling  what 
the  Lord  hath  done,  when  we  may  entirely  fail  by  de- 
claring what  the  Lord  can  do;  the  world  will  pay 
more  attention  to  us  when  we  are  praising  God  for  a 
small  mercy,  than  when  we  are  praying  to  Him  for  a 
great  one.  There  is  an  operative  power  in  praise ;  let 
us  not  lose  the  reward  which  we  might  have  gained  by 
rightly  using  the  power  of  praise.  It  may  be  that  they 
who  have  here  done  work  the  best  for  God,  shall  have 
appointed  to  them  the  most  glorious  work  hereafter; 
that  they  who  have  praised  the  most  amid  the  scoffers  of 
this  world,  shall  be  heard  the  loudest  and  the  sweetest 
in  the  choirs  of  the  redeemed.  There  is  perhaps  a  reward 
in  kind,  as  well  as  in  degree. 

Let  the  time  past  be  sufhcient  for  our  silence,  and  for 
neglect  of  praise.  Let  us  now  invoke  the  Spirit  to  stir 
within  us  the  sounds  of  holy  song ;  let  us  string  anew 
the  harps  which  have  been  hung  upon  the  willows ;  let 
us  listen  attentively,  and  God  Himself  will  give  us  the 
key  note  for  our  song ;  let  us  but  be  willing  to  praise, 
and  God  will  teach  us  how  to  praise,  yea,  by  fresh 
mercies  He  will  quicken  us  in  praise.  "  My  heart  is 
fixed,  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed,  I  will  sing  and  give 
praise.  Awake  up  my  glory ;  awake  psaltery  and  harp, 
I  myself  will  awake  right  early.  I  will  praise  Thee,  O 
Lord,  among  the  people,  I  will  sing  unto  Thee  among 
the  nations.  For  Thy  mercy  is  great  unto  the  heavens, 
and  Thy  truth  unto  the  clouds.  Be  Thou  exalted,  O 
God,  above  the  heavens,  let  Thy  glory  be  above  all  the 
earth.^'     Psalm  Ivii,  7,  &c. 


3^2 


CHAPTER  XXI, 


ij\t  Hilling  Spirit,  miir  i\t  ®eali  gk\. 


Matthew  xxvi,  41.     "  The  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  hut  thejlesh 

is  weak" 


SUCH  were  tlie  words  of  our  blessed  Lord_,  as  He 
contemplated  the  slumbering  forms  of  His  weak 
disciples.  They  have  in  them  much  that  is  humiliating, 
they  have  in  them  something  that  is  comforting  also. 
Jesus  recognises  the  willing  spirit,  albeit  it  is  hidden  in 
the  weakness  of  the  flesh.  And  as  the  Saviour  did  of 
old,  so  does  He  now,  so  will  He  do  by  the  reader,  who 
desires  to  make  the  Psalmist^ s  ^'  I  wills ^^  his  own. 

Let  the  reader,  then,  of  these  "  I  wills  ^^  be  encouraged 
to  pronounce  in  the  Psalmist's  words  his  fixed  determi- 
nations both  as  to  endurance  and  action.  Deeply 
conscious  of  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  let  us  invoke  the 
help  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  He  will  energize  it  for  all  it 
has  to  bear  or  do.  Be  it  our  part  to  bear  and  do,  leaving 
all  results  with  God. 

This  willing  spirit  shall  be  acknowledged  by  God  in 


THE    WILLING    SPIRIT^    ETC.  393 

perfect  independence  of  all  outward  results ;  whether  the 
willing  spirit  make  a  trial,  yea,  many  trials,  a^d  fails;  or 
whether  no  opportunity  of  making  a  trial  be  given  to  it 
at  all.     Were  it  not  thus,  the  labour  of  the  man  of  God 
would  be  unsatisfactory  indeed;  for  the  results  are  very 
often  not  commensurate  with  his  efforts  much  less  with 
his  will.     The  question  of  results  need  not  be  entered 
into  at  all.     Had  the  man  a  willing  spirit,  and  if  an 
opportunity  were  afforded  to  him  did  he  embrace  it  ?     If 
so,  although  every  plan  of  usefulness  failed;  although 
from  a  long  life  of  ministry  he  never  saved  a  soul ;  from 
a  long  life  of  teaching  he  never  made  one  understand 
unto  eternal  life ;  from  a  long  life  of  truest  charity  he 
never  reclaimed  a  single  wanderer,  or  left  one  continuing 
impression  for  good  upon  his  ungodly  neighbours;  the 
willingness  of  his  spirit  shall  be  recognised  in  the  courts 
of  heaven,  and  not  a  tittle  of  the  blessing  shall  be  lost. 
And  is  not  this  full  of  sweetness  for  such  as  have  very 
willing  spii'its,  but  have  comparatively  few  opportunities 
of  acting  openly  on  behalf  of  Christ.     At  times,  such 
reproach  themselves,  and  feel  irritable,  that  while  others 
are   privileged   to   do   so   much,   they   have   scarce   an 
opportunity  of  doing  anything  at  all.     They  say,  "  these 
few  shillings  are  all  that  I  can  give  ;  these  few  hours  are 
aU  that  I  can  oflPer;  my  self-denial  has  been  strict  to 
accomplish  even  this;  but  alas !  what  is  it  before  God  ?  " 
Rest  assured  that  God  will  take  aU  your  circumstances 
into  account;  and  as  He  once  gave  a  wondrous  blessing 
to  her  who  had  done  what  she  could,  so  will  He  give  a 
wondrous  blessing  to  you.     There  are  some  to  whom 
this  statement  will  be  of  value;  their  hearts  are  their 
witnesses  that  they  are  willing  in  spirit;  their  deeds, 


394  THE    WILLING    SPIRIT^ 

though  small  in  themselves  give  a  concurrent  testimony^ 
because  under  the  circumstances  they  are  great.  You 
are  not  excluded  from  the  greatness  of  the  reward ;  the 
willing  spirit  shall  never  want  the  glorious  crown. 

We  need  no  wide- spread  sphere  on  earth,  in  which  to 
shew  the  willing  spirit,  and  win  its  high  reward. 

The  willing  spirit  is  seen  in  sickness,  bereavement,  and 
poverty,  in  prayers,  and  strivings,  and  watchings  of  soul, 
in  perseverance  in  our  difficulties,  self-denial  in  our 
characters,  and  victory  over  our  sins.  And  many  of 
God^s  people  shew  that  in  all  these  particulars  they  have 
the  willing  spirit ;  imperfect,  they  all  doubtless  are,  but 
they  are  willing;  Christ^s  words  most  fitly  describe  their 
state.  That  man  who  lies  all  day  long  afflicted  on  his 
bed,  who  recognises  a  Saviour's  loving  hand  in  every 
pang,  and  wishes  to  bear  for  His  sake,  and  mourns 
when  a  throe  of  acutest  agony  has  wrung  from  him  an 
impatient  word,  or  stolen  from  him  an  impatient  look — 
that  man  has  a  willing  spirit. 

That  man  who  has  suffered  bereavement,  upon  whose 
heart  wild  waves  have  dashed,  and  wild  winds  blown,  who 
has  suffered,  who  is  suffering,  and  who,  fearful  of  himself, 
clings  close  to  Christ,  and  says,  "  O  Jesus,  Thy  will  be 
done,  I  am  not  strong  enough  to  make  my  praise  heard 
above  this  storm,  but  Thy  will  be  done ; "  that  man 
though  his  heart  cling  to  fond  memories,  and  his  sorrow 
cut  the  very  marrow  of  his  soul,  has  a  willing  spirit ; 
and  against  him  there  shall  not  be  brought  any  weakness 
of  the  flesh. 

That  man  who  in  poverty  is  compelled  to  bear,  because 
it  has  pleased  God  to  ordain;  who  is  not  fretful  and 
impatient;  who  calms  the  risings  of  his  soul  with  the 


AND    THE    WEAK    FLESH.  395 

knowledge  of  the  simple  fact  that  the  One  that  loves  him 
has  ordered  this;  such  a  man  has  a  willing  spirit^  and 
may  such  a  spirit  be  vouchsafed  to  us. 

Oh  may  the  Holy  Ghost  Himself  strengthen  your 
courage^  deepen  your  endurance,  and  increase  your  self- 
denial.  Oh  !  may  He  so  pervade  all  your  powers  of 
action,  that  they  may  become  willing  powerful  instru- 
ments to  work  out  the  commands  of  a  willing  and  a 
powerful  spirit — and  who  can  tell  what  a  glorious  picture, 
poor  and  weak  as  we  are,  we  shall  present  to  the  world, 
if  only  the  Holy  Ghost  will  give  us  strength  ?  Perhaps 
we  shall  be  able  to  deny  all  for  Him,  to  bear  all  for  Him, 
to  do  much  for  Him  ;  our  "  Prayer,"  our  "  Trust,"  our 
'*^  Action,"  our  "  Ministry,"  our  *'  Praise,"  will  be  full  of 
life  from  heaven,  and  the  picture  presented  to  the  world 
will  be  Jesus  rejoicing  over  our  energy  and  devotion : 
instead  of  Jesus  standing  over  our  forms  prostrated 
and  in  slumber — testifying  in  sorrow,  that  "  the  spirit 
indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 


THE    END. 


NORWICH  :    PRINTED  BY  J.   FLETCHER. 


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